Un-Dying of Zero
by DialgaRyuma
Summary: So What happens when our little Louise summons our favorite training dummy Hanbei. Read to find out ;). (the first chapter are just informations and the uploading will be whenever I finish a chapter) (currently DISCONTINUED)
1. The summoning

My first story so DON'T JUDGE TOO HARD. Also English is not my first language so forgive typos and grammar errors.

So let's start by saying that I don't own either _Familiar of Zero_ or _Sekiro_, but that is a given.

I did not finish Sekiro yet but I know Hanbei's Quest so I know how it can end. This Hanbei is from the variant in wich the Wolf doesn't kill him (my head-canon says it's because he became the closest thing there is to a friend for the Wolf). Also being italian I played with Italian Subtitles and descriptions, so I am inclined to using literal translations since I will not consult the wiki more that is strictly necessary, to avoid spoilers for the game.

Second is that Hambei knows "Halkegian" (the language of Louise's world). It is not stated immediatly, but I am planning of giving an explanation in the future.

I have not watched the familiar of Zero anime in a long time and I have not read the manga/Light Novel, but I read so many fanfiction that I at least know the major plot points/events and am planning to follow them.

I am not planning to abadon this fanfiction, but I could take breaks or not upload for a while. (update after I abandoned the fic: LIAR! )

I accept tips, but if you came here just to tell me how I suck go away, I already said that this is my first work and I never wrote anything before. So aspect that the characters from the Zero universe would act out of character sometimes if not all the time until i have an idea of how to write them.

There is the possibility that some dialogue or jokes are taken from other fanfiction o media, but is mostly because I am highly influenced by them more so than me straigth out copying the lines. (if you are not ok i am sorry and you can stop reading at any momet if you want).

I have not wrote any chapter in advance so the uplouading will be whenever I finish a chapter.

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkigian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts _)

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic_

\- The Summoning -

\- Ashina Outskirts : Dilapidated Temple -

It was a day like any other. Silence reigned in the nearly abandoned temple. All the people who inhabited it had long since perished in the recent centuries. The scrape of the Sculptor's scalpel as he worked and the singing of the birds were no longer audible.

Even so, one "man" still remained. Unable to die but not really completely alive, there simply _is_ Hanbei the Undying. Here he waits for someone to come by, much as they once had in the past, but even he knows that is unlikely. This place was unknown to most, its location lost with the deaths of those he once knew.

"If only you were here, my old friend..." he quietly murmured as he cleaned his sword in preparation for a fight that would likely never come.

So much time had passed since the Wolf had bid him farewell to embark on a mission for his master with the intent to sever the bond of immortality. He didn't know if he succeeded or not, but whatever had happened did not bring him back to the temple.

It's not like Hanbei didn't leave the temple once in a while. When the war in Ashina ended, he decided to try and travel through Japan and partake in some sightseeing, but the temple always managed to draw him back in. Part of him wondered how much time had passed since he returned. An eternity? If it hadn't been, it might someday be.

"I just wish something interesting would happen every now and then…"

As he uttered these words, a strange, green, round portal appeared right in front of him. From within, he heard the voice of a young girl speaking, the language seemingly foreign to him.

_My servant that exists somewhere in the vast universe..._

Well, that was a language he hadn't heard in a while. How was it called? Helke-something?

_My divine, beautiful, wise and powerful servant, heed my call..._

It sounded like someone was calling for him, but he couldn't be sure. It seemed strange that someone would want to reach out to him.

_I wish from the very bottom of my heart that one would appear..._

It seemed impolite not to answer such a desperate prayer. Worst case scenario, he would just die. "_Well, maybe that would be the best case, rather than the worst..._" He thought to himself.

And so, with the prospect of an unknown situation that could at least kill his boredom and at best kill him, he stepped through the gateway.

\- Halkegia : Tristain Academy of Magic -

It was a day like any other for a short, young, pink-haired mage. Louise Françoise Leblanc de la Vallière woke up at sunrise with hope in her heart and just a bit of concern. Today was the day of the Spring Familiar Summoning Ritual, an occasion in which second year students have to summon some kind of animal to act as their partner for the rest of their life. This animal is known as a familiar and also symbolizes the mage's elemental affinity and power. She didn't know what she would summon yet, but she knew that it would be an incredible magical creature, perhaps a dragon or a griffin.

What is important is that she would not be called that despicable nickname any longer-Louise the Zero, with zero successful spells casted in her time at the academy. She will laugh in the face of everyone that made fun of her, especially that presumptuous red-headed Germanian.

All this cheerfulness changed into anger when the little mage was descending the stairs to get to the courtyard for the ritual and heard the voice of her aforementioned rival.

"Oh! If it is not Louise the Zero! Are you going to the summoning ritual to entertain the other students with some fireworks? Now that I think about it, your explosions are not that colorful, so it wouldn't be a very good show." Says a tall tan woman with long, straight red hair as she crosses her arms, holding up her big "assets".

"What do you want, Kirche? I am trying to enjoy my day and head to the courtyard to summon my familiar. I suppose you and Tabitha are going as well." To that statement, a small, blue-haired girl with glasses nodded from beside Kirche, even though her face was hidden behind a book.

"I guess you are right, even if you don't have any reason for coming since I don't think _explosions_ are considered familiars."

"Are you implying that I can summon only explosions? I bet you that I will summon a beast that will put your familiar to shame!" Louise spats angrily.

"Oh, so you think you can summon something better than mine? Well we will see when we get there, won't we?" Kirche speaks with a malicious grin, as if challenging the pinkette.

At that Louise, reacted by storming away in the direction of the ritual's location. She will summon something great and powerful. After all, she had to if she wanted to continue her studies at the academy.

\- Academy : Main Courtyard -

"Ok, have you all summoned your familiars?" Asked a bold man with glasses and a long staff, his blue robe signifying his position as a teacher.

"Not everyone, Professor Colbert. Louise has yet to summon hers." Kirche spoke up with a sinister smirk on her face.

"Ah, yes! You're right, Miss Zerbst. Miss Vallière, would you please step up and summon your familiar?"

A chorus of different voices came from the rest of the class.

"The Zero? she can't cast a spell to save her life!"

"Hold onto your seats! Here comes another explosion!"

"Why is she still here anyway? She's better off leaving."

Ignoring all those hideous taunts, she stepped in front of the summoning circle and started to speak the incantation she had spent hours memorizing. Yet, each time that she finished, nothing happened. Nothing, not even the usual explosions, as if the world itself was telling her to just give up and return home to become the trophy wife of some noble, the only fare for a failure available to someone like her.

As if sensing the struggle in the mind of the pinkette, Colbert spoke up "Maybe you should try another incantation? I have heard of mages that had problems using the standard lines and found using their own words to be more effective."

"O-of course, professor! I'll try again."

And with that, she closed her eyes, trying to focus on creating an incantation in her mind. At this point, she would have been satisfied with literally anything she could think of, even an ant would have been enough for her. Then, after a couple of minutes, she started to recite the words she managed to pull from the bottom of her heart.

"My servant who exists somewhere in the vast universe..." (_Wherever you are_)

Everyone in the class perked up ad the odd choice of words.

"My divine, beautiful, wise and powerful servant, heed my call..." (_Anything, anybody! Doesn't matter what or who!_)

The summoning circle began to light up with a pure white light.

"I wish from the very bottom of my heart and that one would appear..." (_Please, I beg you to appear!_)

And than what everyone expected happened. There was an explosion-a BIG explosion, perhaps the biggest explosion to date for the young mage. Everybody fell back just from the force of the wind created by the spell.

Louise was the first one to stand back up, hoping that whatever she summoned didn't die in the conflagration. After the smoke cleared, she could see it: a war-weathered, middle-aged man, given the number of scars she could count on the exposed parts of his skin. He wore ragged clothing with a style of plated armor she couldn't recognize and the mask on his face covered his mouth. A sword hung at his hip and she found herself staring hard at the blade. _(He must be a soldier...)_

The soldier stood there, choking on the thick smoke. "That-" He coughed harshly. "Was an impressive display of firepower. We are lucky it was I who answered that call or else who knows what would be of the unlucky man or woman in my place." The man spoke with a gruff voice in a language she couldn't understand.

"Ah-ha! Leave it to the Zero to summon some dirty commoner who doesn't even understand our language!" Shouted a student.

"Look at him! You could easily confuse him for a corpse!" Laughed another.

(_A commoner...of everything that could have come out, why did it have to be a commoner?_)

Hanbei surveyed the surrounding area. He seemed to have found himself in a garden of a castle. Around him where what looked like children, all wearing the same strange clothes, possibly a uniform of some sort. In front of him was petite, pink-haired girl who appeared to be both confused and angry at the same time. (Ah, right...from what I heard before, they don't speak my language.)

"Hello and good morning to all of you. May I ask where I am and why I'm here?" He spoke Helkigian with a strange accent.

At the sound of his voice, everyone stopped laughing and stared at him in dumbfounded silence until the professor spoke up.

"Ah, sir. You are in Trintain's Academy of Magic. The students are currently performing the Spring Summoning Ritual to summon their familiars." He gestured to the pinkette. "This girl is the one who summoned you, though it is uncommon for a human to be summoned instead of an animal or magical creature."

(So they are a school of magic. I have never heard of it before, but it has been a while since I have travelled, so I can't exclude that one wasn't founded, even if the study of it was quite rare at my time and the closest thing we had was Ninjutsu. But still...)

"What is a Familiar?"

This time, it was Louise who angrily answered. "A familiar is a magical creature or animal that a mage summons to protect and serve them for all their life. A commoner like you should feel honored to be a noble's familiar!"

"So I would have to devote my life to protecting this girl..." the man mused aloud, to which the professor informed him, "Yes, sir, that is what the familiar contract entrails."

A moment of silent followed as the samurai seemed to consider his options. He could say no and try to return to the temple, but, really, what was there to return to? Peace reigned in the lands and no one visited the temple any longer. Some gut feeling told him that, if he were to stay here, he will at least have to fight for the pinkette at some point, and who knows if magic was powerful enough for him to discover a way to finally die.

"So be it! I will serve you to the best of my abilities, little pink-haired girl." To that comment, the aforementioned girl blushed with anger.

"I am not a little girl! I'm sixteen! Of course a commoner mongrel like you would accept!"

(Note to self : she's self-conscious about her childlike appearance.)

The professor cleared his throat loudly, interrupting him from his thoughts.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Miss Louise needs to complete the contract."

"Ah, right!" She said, closing her eyes and pointing her wand at the Undying.

"My name is Louise Francoise Leblanc de la Valliere, pentagon of the five elemental powers. Bless this being and make it my familiar!" She than gestured for him to lower his head and, when he did so, she begrudgingly kissed him on the cheek before stepping back.

Hanbei then started to feel a burning sensation on his left hand as strange markings engraved themselves into his skin. For any other man, the pain could have been unbearable, but he was used to suffering. After a couple of seconds, the pain creased and the familiar runes were fully formed. He eyed them warily and almost didn't notice Professor Colbert getting closer to look at them.

"With this ritual complete, please return to your dorms. Lessons today end here."

And with that, everyone started walking towards the main building when Louise spoke to Hanbei.

"Come, Familiar! Let us go to my room!"

"As my lady commands." He answered with reverence, following close by.

And there it begins, a weird and interesting story of this strange duo of Master and Familiar.

\- end chapter -

So. This is the first chapter.

What do you think? I think it's not that bad as first tries go. I am not about sure about the past tense for the narration, maybe i will try in the present next chapter and se how that goes.

Anyway next time it will probably be just Hanbei assessing the situation, and maybe the obbligatori Guiche fight if I feel like it.

Until next time! Bye!

Thank you very much to my new beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


	2. The first night

Still working on getting a beta so again sorry for grammar and spelling errors.

For now you could be my beta by writing in reviews the errors you find (I would still like some reviews about the story though).

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkigian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts _)

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic/Dreams_

\- Chapter 2: the first night-

\- Halkegia: Louise's room -

"Well, my lady, this is quite the nice room...not that I have any experience to compare it to considering I've slept outside for majority of my life." Hanbei joked as he entered his new Master's room. As he was about to inquire about sleeping arrangements, she began to undress and he promptly turned away in order to permit her some privacy.

"Go wash these." She commanded, throwing her uniform at him. "I expect them to be clean and tidied up for tomorrow morning at sunrise!"

"Lady Louise, I feel that I should point out the fact that you are standing in the same room as a man you barely know while wearing only your undergarments." He wickedly responded.

"Don't be ridiculous. You are not a men. You are a Familiar! Standing in the same room as you is not any different to staying in the same room with a dog!"

(Wow, that is quite harsh. Well, I guess she is not very happy to have summoned a person instead of a powerful, magical creature, even if I think I am still better than a giant mole or an owl. Well...it's not like I am not used to being treated as a tool. What's the use in complaining?)

"Even so, I would have to object to the task you have just gave me. I am a swordsman and a warrior. I don't know anything about washing clothes aside for the times I had to wash mine, which seem far less delicate than these." He held up the clothes in his hands.

"Then at least go find someone from the staff to clean them, you useless peasant!"

"Very well, my lady. When I am done, where should I sleep?" At that, she gestured towards a pile of straw near her bed.

(Well, I guess she was expecting some kind of animal to be summoned.)

"That will do for the moment. Though I would like to have at least a blanket in the near future."

"You will get what you earn with your actions, Familiar! Now, out with you! Today has been one difficulty after another and I need some sleep."

"Then I wish you a good night." He said before opening the door and leaving to find someone who could aid him with his task.

\- In the Hallways some minutes later -

Hanberi was searching throughout for someone who could help him to get rid of those dirty clothes, but to no avail.

(Maybe I should have asked Miss Louise for directions to the help's quarters. Then again, she wuold have probably just yelled at me and called me incompetent, even if this is quite the large building and I am new here.)

Finally, he comes across a couple of what he assumed were students. A boy with blonde hair wearing a black coat and a frilly white shirt was holding a rose in his right hand as he gesticulated animatedly with the other.

"I would be glad to have some of your soufflé!" He exclaimed, to which the other student, a girl in a standard looking uniform and a brown coat, responded, "Really, Lord Guiche?"

"Of course, Katie. I can't tell lies in front of your eyes."

It seemed quite obvious that the boy was trying to get in the girl's good grace and, based on her reactions, he was succeeding. Hanbei was never really into wooing girls even in his youth, but he still recognised the boy's efforts and was about to turn around when he noticed him and spoke up.

"Hey, you! If I am not mistaking, you are the commoner that the Zero summoned." He then eyed the clothes. "Out to clean your master's clothes like the peasant you are?"

(Again with that name. I wonder why everyone keeps referring to my master as "The Zero." It seems to be derogative in some way. I'll have to inform myself at a later date.)

"If you really want to know, I am just delivering these to the staff for cleaning." He responded. "And wouldn't one of you happen to know where I can find someone that could take the task?"

"I think you could find them in the west wing, sir." The kind response put a smile on the Undying's face. "Thank you, young Lady."

With a click of his tongue, Guiche gave Hanbei one final look of disdain as he muttered, "Let's somewhere with more privacy, my dear."

"O-of course, Lord Guiche! Good evening, sir."

With her farewell said, they went in the direction of what he assumed were the boys' rooms, or perhaps just somewhere they could continue without interruptions.

"Guess I'll have to head for the west wing next."

He was about to do so before he heard a soft, feminine voice speak behind him, "Ehm, sorry...do you need these washed?"

"Yes, that would be really helpful, miss?" He inquired, taking a look at the girl who approached him.

She was a black-haired maid with a slim figure and a kind look in her eyes. Still, there was something that the warrior could not fully place about her, something that didn't sit quite right. But, since she didn't look dangerous in any way, he decided to just ignore this feeling for now.

"Ah, it's Siesta, sir. I work in the academy as a maid. I was passing by and happened to overhear your conversation with the other students before. I was surprised to find that the rumors about a human familiar I kept hearing about were true. Anyway, if you want, you can give these clothes to me and I will have them delivered to your master's room in the morning."

"That would be appreciated." He then gave the clothes to the girl. "But, please, call me Hanbei. The formality makes me feel even older than I already am. Also, would it be ok if I were to escort you? It is only proper to not let a girl wander alone at night, even in a safe environment like a school."

"Yes, I see no problem with that. Still, if it is not an annoyance, would you like to answer some questions? I am quite curious about your situation."

"I have no objections. Please lead the way." He said before bowing formally.

The girl flushed slightly and started walking towards the courtyard. "The weather is nice this evening, so I think I could wash the clothes outside, but we still have to go to the another building to pick up the basin and washboard."

She then began with her questioning. "So, where are you from, sir? I don't think I've anyone with armor similar to yours around here before."

"I am from a faraway country called Japan. Where it is in relation to here, I can't really tell, but I could tell you after I take a good look at the constellations in the sky." He was not exactly an astronomer, but when you travel a lot, you learn a thing or two about orienting yourself with the stars.

Shortly after they were out of the main building, the man looked up, freezing at the sight before him.

"Is there something wrong?" Siesta asked with concern in her voice.

He didn't respond. He was completely shocked to discover that, not only did he not recognize a single star in the sky, but there were also _two_ moons hovering above.

(How did a second moon just appear overnight? No, wait...they both look different from the one I know. Unless...)

"Sir Hanbei, can you tell me where your country is now?"

"I'm afraid I can't, Miss Siesta. I really can't."

_Everything was black. She usually liked sleeping since she could drift off in the world of dreams where no one could hurt her. In her dreams, she could be a legendary mage or the new captain of the Maticore knights like her Mother._

_Yet, this time, it was different._

_Suddenly, there was a bright light and then she was standing in a room. The design was quite peculiar, she thought. The wooden floor, the unusually short table with pillows instead of chairs, an expositor with very intricate, and ornate dolls were the first things that caught her interest. There were also people, a man and a little girl, sitting with their knees on these pillows. They seemed to be dining while chatting._

_Not so far from the table was also someone else she could recognise. It was her newly summoned familiar who looked to be the same age, but without all the scars on his body aside from one just beneath his left eye. He was also wearing cleaner-looking clothes and armor._

_Her thoughts were interrupted when the man at the table spoke up. "__I am planning to go to the nearest village to conduct some business. Hanbei, please arrange an escort for tomorrow morning at sunrise.__"_

_(Again with that strange language he spoke immediately after the summoning. Wait! Why can I understand what they are saying?)_

_"__It will be done, Minato-sama__"_

_It was then the girls turn to say something "__Oto-san, can I come with you? It's always so boring in the estate!__"_

_"__I know, sweetheart, but you have lessons with your personal tutor and if you want to play, you could always ask Hanbei or one of the guards__."_

_"__But they all suck at it! Hanbei took hours to find me last time we played hide and seek!__" The man perked up at the mention of his name "__That is because you are quite good at it, Shiro-sama__."_

_"__Anyway, my decision is final. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you by picking up a gift on the way back__."_

_Her look changed from one of anger to curiosity. "__Ok, but only if it's something good.__"_

_"__Of course, my little treasure carp, I promise__"_

_They resumed dinner and the image changed again to her familiar walking the halls late at night. Everything seemed quiet until a loud explosion was heard followed by screams._

_"__Intruders!__" _

_"__Bandits!__"_

_Immediately, Hanbei rushed to his lord's chambers, killing every intruder he came across before entering the room._

_"__My Lord, the estate is under attack. Quickly exit from the secret passage into the forest, I'll get Shiro-sama and follow you.__"_

_He opened panel beside the bed, uncovering a tunnel._

_"__Please don't let anything happen to her.__" _

_The Undying smiled and began to leave to his lady's bedroom._

_"__They'll have to walk over my corpse to do so, sir__"._

_"__We both know that would be difficult considering your situation.__" The lord whispered before disappearing in the tunnel._

_\- ? : Shiro's room -_

_The scenery changes again, this time showing the girl backed into a corner with two men in front of her._

_"__Stay away you, filthy thugs__"_

_"__Ohi-ohi! Big brother, look out! The little kitten is angry.__" one man said to the other who responded, "__Quit joking around and grab her. We could ask for a lot of money from her father if we take her hostage.__"_

_"__I think that is out of the question, since you'll both be dead.__" A voice declared before a flash of silver sliced both men's backs, leaving them dead on the floor. _

_"__Are you un-harmed, Shiro-sama?__"_

_At the sound of a familiar voice, the girl started crying and clinging to the man._

"_Wha! I was so scared Hanbei! I don't want to go with them."_

_"__Don't worry, my lady. I am here with you now. Let us escape and reunite with Minato-sama.__" _

_As she nodded, they started to head for the Lord's room, but were blocked by what Louise could only describe as a crossbreed between a man and an orc. _

_"__Now, now, what have we here? A lone samurai trying to escape with my loot?__"_

_And before the Undying had any chance of responding, a huge sword came down on him, cleaving his body cleanly in half. _

_"__Hanbei!__" The girl shouted as the hulking man picked her up and took her away._

_Louise was speechless at the sight of her familiar's body bleeding out onto the floor. Just what was the meaning of this horrible nightmare_

\- end chapter-

So, that's it for today.

but seroiusly what do you think?

I just hope that Hanbei doesn't feel to out of character. From the game he seemed to me like a very chill person that usually accepts anything that happens around him and has a total disregard for his safety, since he can't die and all that. That's why he didn't really complain to much about being treated bad by Louise.

It's not like he'll do everything she asks if it goes againts something he believes in, but he's not so pridefull to not do the laundry if needed be. ( he still didn't but more because he knows he's not very good at it) I also think that I made him sound more like a knight than a samurai (even if you could say samurai are japan's version of nights).

I also started planting hints about Siesta having some secret leneage. It is tradition that she is from the same world as the person summoned. Who is she connected to you would find out in future chapters, you are welcome to try and guess.

I know that the dream cicle is more of a Fate stay night thing but this is my fic so I decide the rules. Also I took some liberty with his backstory since it is never stated outright the way in which he failed his master. I also took the liberty of naming the master and the daughter for convenience sake.

Next chapter maybe we will se some fighting.

Untill next time! Bye!

Also I decided to quit Sekiro. It's not like I don't like it, really it's probably one of my favorite games and I am sure I'll buy any DLC when they come out, but THAT FINAL BOSS. I'm not gonna spoil anything but After an entire day of dying and still getting just past his second phase I decided that I am phisically and psicologically unable to beat it and just watched the endings on youtube. Call me casual all you want at least I managed to beat Dark Souls 3 final boss first try.

Thank you very much to my new beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


	3. Update soon - new Beta!

hi,

For those who are worried I am not abandoning this fic.

I actualy have a chapter ready, but It is "raw" with probably a lot of errors and with scenes that could use some work.

I Contacted a Beta and sent it to him. We also discussed other plot points that I was not so sure about.

He still hasn't finished the review of the chapter.

Now that i have a beta I will post a chapter only after it has been reviewed and corrected.

So please have patience.

Thank you.


	4. Bronze Sword

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkiginian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts _)

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic/Dreams_

\- Chapter 3 : Bronze Sword -

\- Louise's room: early morning -

As if the horrible nightmare wasn't enough, Louise was unable to fall back to sleep that night. Each time she closed her eyes, the gruesome scene played over in her mind again and again-the one in which the half-ogre effortlessly drove his sword through her familiar and cleaved him in half. The sight of the gore was enough to keep her up for the remainder of the night.

She blamed him for it.

"Stupid familiar! I just hope it's not some kind of prophetic dream about me being kidnapped."

A knock came at the door.

"Miss Louise, I have come to wake you up as requested. Would it be ok for me to enter?"

"Yes, you may enter, as I have been awake for some time."

Hanbei gently opened the door and addressed her with a bow.

"Greetings, my lady! I have come with your freshly cleaned clothes as requested. I have been informed that the students usually gather in the dining hall for breakfast, so I will wait outside the room and escort you there when you are ready."

He then left the room. She was about to ask him to dress her when she remembered he said he wasn't very good at mandatory tasks and decided to do it herself.

\- Outside Louise's room -

Last night might have been the most shocking one in all of Hanbei's life.

Really, you would think an immortal soldier over two centuries old would learn to expect the unexpected, but he still was shocked when he discovered just how far from home he had been summoned.

(To think I was brought to another world...unless I was sent so far into the future that a second moon showed up and the old one changed color. Somehow, I doubt that.)

After that reveal, the warrior had almost literally shut down to think of his predicament.

(Fortunately, Siesta noticed my shock and didn't press too much for a conversation. I still need to sort things out my head. She still seemed to be willing to share general information about the school, such as the general schedule of the students, and I found that listening to the stories about her home village and her parents' farm to be relaxing. )

His thoughts were interrupted by a feminine voice.

"Oh-ho, if it isn't the Zero's commoner!"

He turned his head and saw a tan, red-headed woman with a cloak that marked her as a student of the same year as his master, based on the information Siesta gave him.

"Yes, can I help you in any way, miss?"

"Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst, but I usually just go with Kirche. So, tell me how much is she paying you to play as her familiar? I hope it is worth the effort of having to keep up with her!"

He was about to respond when Louise came barreling out of her room, screaming.

"For your information, Zerbst, I did the summon correctly and this," she gestured towards Hanbei, "is what showed up!"

"I'll have to second that statement, as I have in fact been summoned."

"Whatever! One successful spell means nothing. Maybe we should change your nickname in Louise the One? It is even more ominous that way!" Before the atmosphere got even more tense, a more soft and calm voice was heard behind the Germanian and a short, blue-headed girl appeared out of nowhere

"Breakfast."

"Oh! You are right, Tabitha! We will be late if we stay here chatting amongst ourselves. Well, I'll see you later, Louise the One!" She then strolled away, laughing.

"Who is she exactly? You seem to be more than just classmates."

"Her name is Kirche. She's just an annoying thorn in my side who considers herself some sort of rival of mine since our families have a rough history."

"Very interesting. Should I expect her to attempt at taking your life considering your families' history?"

"What? No! She just likes to torment me and sleep with a different man every night. She's harmless."

"As you wish, my lady. So I couldn't help but to overhear something about the success of your spells being zero before my summon. Is it true?"

At that, she furrowed her eyebrows in frustration.

"So what if it is? Are you gonna scorn me about it too?! Are you gonna say that I have no magical talent and should go back home?!"

"On the contrary. I'll say that she is wrong. After all, I am (mostly) living proof of your magic. And the distance to which you summoned me is the evidence of the scale of your power, even someone like me can understand that."

At that, the pinkette looked confused. "What do you mean, familiar?"

The Undying continued. "Well, for starters, in my homeland, there is only one moon."

"That's nonsense! There have been two moons since the time of our founder Brimir over six millenniums ago!"

"That is probably true. That's why I said I am not from this world. Also, most of the creatures that I saw the other day don't exist in my land...or, at least, they are considered gods or demons."

"These are just lies to try to comfort me and I don't appreciate being lied to."

"I'll never lie to you, my lady. It goes against my code of honor. Still, I would like to spend some time in the near future talking about some of the differences our worlds may have. Especially conversation about what is considered normal and abnormal." (Like people who can't die...)

"Well, I was going to allow you to have breakfast in the dining hall with me instead of with the other familiars, but I guess you'd rather go without food for trying to lie to me."

"I would advise against it, as a well fed guard is a better guard, and I'd rather be at top form in order to protect you more efficiently."

"Shut up! Not another word from you!" She then sprinted away angrily.

(That is a very excessive reaction. I guess that nickname is still a difficult argument. It is clear that she still thinks me as no more than a dog, but we still have time to correct that line of thought, and you can't say I am not patient. It will be better to show her with my actions than just demanding to get better treatment and risking upsetting her further.)

"I guess I'll have to find something to eat on my own."

\- The South Courtyard: minutes later -

(Now where was the kitchen located? If I remember correctly, Siesta said it was just behind the dining hall.)

As if answering his prayers, a familiar voice was heard.

"Ehm, do you need any help, Sir Hanbei?"

"Ah, Siesta! I was just thinking about you. Would you be so kind to explain to me where the kitchens are again? Or, better than that, would you show me the way? If you aren't occupied, that is."

"No, I am actually heading there myself to bring the supplies the chef requested." He noticed the heavy looking bag in her arms "But why do you need to go there? Shouldn't you be with Lady Vallierè now?"

"Actually, we had an argument and I was left to my own devices in regards of finding food."

"That's terrible!" She exclaimed

"It's not that bad, as I have experience with providing for myself since I have travelled a lot in the past. Also, I was hoping to just ask the chef to give me some leftovers. Anyway, do you need any help carrying it?"

"There is no need. It's not as heavy as it looks." She said with a gentle smile. "Now, let's go! I bet the chef would be really happy to help you the moment he hears you were mistreated by a noble."

\- kitchen : some minutes later -

A big and well-built man loudly laughed. "Ah-Ah-Ah! So the little noble has been bossing you since you arrived! Why listen though? You seem like a strong and independent man, so why do you keep up with her?"

"It's just a feeling I had when I first met her."

He remembered feeling a strange need to protect her when they first met. Most of that could be attributed to the magical contract between them, but still there was something else

"I can guarantee she has the potential to become a good and respected noble. I think she is just acting bossy to hide her insecurities, especially considering how the other students treat her."

"You are actually more wise than you look!" The man exclaimed with a surprised face.

"It comes with the years I guess. Anyway, I have to thank you for the delicious meal. I can't believe that cake was actually yesterday's breakfast leftovers. I better go back to my lady, she should have finished her meal by now."

"Don't worry about it! Just know that, whenever you want, you can come here and ask for as much food as you can digest! And, you know what, if you actually manage to change that little girl's ways and make her into a polite person, I swear I'll eat my chef hat."

"I'll keep that in mind." Said the Undying as he left the kitchen, chuckling.

\- outside the dining hall -

Louise had just finished her breakfast and set out to find her familiar.

(_Where has he gone now? Maybe I should try asking someone if they saw him_)

"He probably just went to practice his swordplay by swinging at a tree." She mused aloud.

"I actually find training with another person to be more effective." Came a voice behind her.

"Ah! Don't sneak up to me like that, familiar! Anyway, where have you been? I've been looking for you for a while now!"

"I am sorry I made you wait. The school's chef offered me some leftovers for breakfast and I spent some time chatting with him. A really nice man, though maybe a bit too loud." He punctuated the remark with laughter.

"It good to know that you are making new friends! I guess you could just go back to them instead of sticking around me!"

"There is nothing to be upset about, my lady. While I enjoy the company of the staff members, I have still sworn to serve and protect you. I am a man of honor and will always uphold to my word."

To that statement, the pinkette flushed slightly. "O-of course. I-I was just warning you to not forget your duties."

"I would never, Lady Louise. Now, I think we should head to your classroom, as the lessons are probably about to start."

"Actually, today is a day off in which we are supposed to get to know our familiars better."

"That's perfect. We could relax and converse with a cup of tea and exchange information about our worlds."

"Still going with the 'other world' thing? Well, even if you're making that up, I am not against a relaxing afternoon since it is a nice day." They then began to head for the west courtyard where tea tables were set out for the students.

\- One hour later -

"So, in this world, whoever can use magic is considered a noble while the others are commoners? There is no other way to get nobility?" Hanbei asked curiously.

"I think in Germania, sufficiently wealthy people can buy a nobiliar status, there is also the title of Chavalier that can be bestowed through one's deeds. Still, they are both exceptions." They had spent the past hour talking about the general political and social structure of the world. Louise explained what she considered the most important and basic information and her familiar asked about the more specific topics that piqued his interest.

"That is a shame. In my world, nobles become such by birth, but their lineage began with a skilled swordmaster or a tactician who distinguished themselves and conquered the land they own." He said with a slightly disappointed face. "Anyway, you have been the only one to explain all this time, so I think I should start to share information too. Let me see, where do I start?"

"YOU JERK!" Two female voices shouted before a loud slapping noise was heard, catching the attention of the two. Not far away, a blond and brown-haired girl stormed away from a blond boy who caressed his reddened cheeks.

"Oh! I remember that kid. His name is Guiche, right?" The Undying asked Louisa.

"Yes and, considering his personality, he was probably caught two-timing by these two girls. Really, it was about time."

(Well, I guess this will be useful to the boy's character growth.)

"Wait! Montmorency! Katie!" Shouted the boy towards the two girls who completely ignored him before turning around and angrily addressing a scared-looking maid "This is all your fault! I'll have you fired for making these beautiful flowers cry!"

(Wait, isn't that Siesta?)

"Please, sir, don't do that! I was just returning the perfume I saw falling from your pocket. Please don't fire me, I need the money to help my family!"

(Now, we can't have that. Mhm? Again with that strange feeling of awareness whenever I look at Siesta sometimes. I don't know what is causing that or if it is just my imagination. Still, she has been really helpful and amiable since we met and I need to do something myself to help her in return.)

Without warning, Hanbei stood up and walked to them, calmly addressing the boy

"Wait right there. Why don't we all calm down and talk about the situation? There is no need to get anyone fired."

"I don't care! She has soiled my pride and she must pay. I told her that bottle wasn't mine and to go away and she should have done so instead of insisting!"

The noble boy was clearly unloading his rage and disappointment on the poor maid who couldn't disagree, being a simple commoner.

"Still, from what I understand is happening, the only thing she could be guilty is uncovering your affair with the girls. I think it would be more honorable to chase them down and apologise instead of using this poor maid as a scapegoat."

The blond flinched at the statement before replying, "This is not your business, commoner! Return to your master or I shall punish you in a way befitting your lack of respect for a noble!"

"It is not honorable to make an innocent girl pay for being sincere."

"Then maybe a duel will teach you some manners! Meet me in an hour at Vestai Court." With that, Guiche walked away.

(That went well.) "Are you ok, Miss Siesta?"

"Yes, but are you gonna accept the duel? He is a noble with magic! You can't possible beat him."

"Familiar!" An angry Louise strolled to them "What is this idea about fighting Guiche? It's the most stupid thing you could have done! Let's go find him. Perhaps he will forgive you if you apologise." She then grabbed his arm and attempted to drag him away, but he didn't move an inch.

"Before that, my lady, can I ask you a question?"

The pinkette stopped and faced the samurai. "Yes, what is it?"

"Can he really get Miss Siesta fired for exposing his infidelity to these girls?"

"Usually, he would need a valid reason, but a simple charge for insubordination will probably be enough. It's not like any of the students are gonna step up for a commoner maid even if she is innocent."

After hearing this, Siesta begun to sob. "I-I can't lose this job. M-My family's farm is not doing very well and they need all the money they can get. I also like working here where I can meet nice people like S-Sir Hanbei."

"That is why I am going to that meeting. I could be able to talk some sense into him or at least make him swear to not do anything if I win."

"But you can't win! He is a noble with the gift of magic. You will be lucky to survive the fight." shouted the young mage.

A light chuckle came out of the Undying's mouth.

"With all respect, Master, I think I have a good chance. This will also be an opportunity to show you what I am capable of. I was gonna tell you about my abilities, but maybe showing them would be better. I also want to test how I handle a fight against a mage. Siesta, could you take me to the court Sir Guiche mentioned?"

"Yes, but are you sure you wanna do all this for me?" asked an incredulous Siesta

The man simply nodded and replied, "Yes, I have to repay you for the kindness you showed me. Now, show the way please."

They began to walk to the place as Louise shouted, "My familiar is crazy!"

\- Vestai Court -

"So, you actually had the courage to show up. I will give you credit for that."

In the past hour, the rumors of the familiar of a mage dueling a student had spread like wildfire and a crowd of people surrounded the two adversaries.

"I had to, since you didn't even let me give you my answer to the challenge."

At that, the boy flushed slightly before resuming his taunting. "I didn't want to give you the option of cowardly refuse! So, shall we begin?"

"I was hoping to convince you to abandon this idea, as it won't be beneficial to anyone."

"Don't try to talk yourself out of this." Guiche spat with confidence.

"Then, is it at least acceptable that, if I win the duel, you won't try to get Miss Siesta fired?"

"If you really think I'll lose to a mere commoner, then you are even more stupid than you look. Still, I will humor you. If you were to somehow win, I swear on the name of my family that I won't do anything against that girl or you."

"Thank you. Then I officially accept your challenge. Let's continue until one of us is unable to fight or gives up. What do you say?"

"I agree with these conditions." He them waved his rose, letting a petal fall off.

When the petal hit the ground, a bright light appeared and a feminine looking armor appeared, holding a sword.

"My name is Guiche la Gramont. My runic name is 'The Bronze.' As such, my bronze golem, The Valkyrie, will be your opponent. Attack!"

The golem charged at Hanbei who responded by drawing his sword and preparing to deflect the swing when something strange happened. The runes on the back of his hand started glowing and he suddenly felt a rush of power course through his body.

(What is this? I feel lighter, stronger, faster.)

The golem raised its sword over its head to prepare for a powerful strike.

(Sloppy.)

The sound of metal against metal resonated when the blade came down and the Undying deflected with perfect precision, making the construct lose its balance.

(I feel like I am fully alive again!)

With a single move, he cleaved the golem in half.

"Impressive swordplay. Let's see you react to this!" Guiche then made five more petals fall, creating five golems that each wielded a different weapon.

(He can create a great number of disposable soldiers. A powerful ability if you have the mind of a tactician. Still not enough if their movements are too predictable, though.)

One of them charged straight at him, thrusting a spear.

He just braced himself and lifted his right foot, hitting the spear's point and embedding it into the ground. Hanbei followed up with an overhead slash that cut the construct in two.

While this was occurring, the other four Valkyries had him surrounded, ready to strike.

(So he used this one as a sacrificial pawn while the others positioned themselves in vantage points around me. Very clever for his age.)

He then eyed the glowing runes.

(I still don't know how or why, but it seems I can fight better thanks to these markings. Let's test them out then!)

He ran to an axe-wielding golem with all the speed he could muster, becoming a blur and taking it down in an instant with one fluid motion before it had time to react.

Surprised but still determined, the boy ordered two golems with an iron club and a sword to charge at him from either side.

Hanbei simply stepped back, making them miss their strikes. The golems continued to pursue him, attempting to strike him while he continued to either deflect or evade each hit with impressive ease.

(I am no pushover, but with this energy, I feel like I could probably keep up even with Wolf now and these things are no better than low rank foot soldiers...)

He dodged another attack, following up with his own that took out one of the pursuers.

(Wait! Where is the third one?)

As if answering that question, he felt a sudden pain in his chest. Looking down, he realized he had been impaled by the golem's alabard, its tip driven through his chest and glistening with blood. He mustered just enough strength to turn his head and see the golem holding it frozen in place.

In truth, Guiche probably just imagined that he would have evaded that attack too. His objective was not to kill him, but the man was distracted by the other two golems and his wonder at the newly discovered abilities caused him to lose sight of that one enemy.

After the blow, the body of the Undying fell onto the ground in a crumpled heap, leaving most of the students present in a state of disgust and shock. Siesta was crying with guilt and desperation while Louise was perhaps the most terrified she had been in her life. This was it. All of her efforts, all of her worth as a mage and a noble gone. The man who had sweared to serve her had just died. No grandiose battle, no respectable failure against a legendary enemy of the country. Dead in a stupid schoolyard squabble.

It really didn't matter now. All she could do was scream, "NO! You can't die here!"

(_Please don't leave me by myself again._)

It was at that moment that the unexpected happened once again. The body suddenly twitched and groaned, rising from the ground in an unnatural way while the wound slowly closed, leaving just another scar to add the many that already desecrated the soldier's flesh.

"Still alive, eh? It seems that, even if they are created with magic, these weapons can't kill me." Declared the samurai with a calm tone.

"How can you be still alive?! That was clearly a mortal blow!" Exclaimed the boy, surprised but also with a bit of relief.

"Well, you see, I am not exactly a normal human. For the most part, yes, but there is a crucial difference-I _can't_ die."

"That's impossible! You are some kind of demon born from black magic!" Exclaimed the blond.

"Nothing of the sort. If you had to compare this to anything you know, you could say I am cursed, but that is not the point now. If I recall correctly, we were in the middle of a duel, right?" He then sprinted to the Valkyrie wielding the club and, before it could react, took it down with a quick succession of slashes.

(It's been a while since I fought against multiple opponents. Thankfully, these markings can compensate a bit, but I still need to work of my spatial awareness if one of this things managed sneak up on me. Not that it will happen again.)

The Undying continued his attacks on the last remaining construct until a powerful thrust of his sword pierced through its body.

(I am still surprised by how much strength I can muster.)

"So, will you give up now? I really don't feel like hurting a kid." He pointed his sword in the boy's direction.

"Nonsense! As a noble of Tristania, I can't let a being like you roam free. All that's left for me is to use my all to stop you here!" He then flicked his rose-wand again, but, this time, a storm of petals appeared.

One of the students witnessing the fight exclaimed, "Wait, Guche! Didn't you say it wasn't ready yet?"

The blond smiled with confidence. "I managed to complete it yesterday and this is the perfect occasion for a test drive."

A bright light appeared in front of him and another golem showed up. This one was different though. It was bigger then the first ones, even a little taller than Hanbei. It had a bulky frame, more masculine in appearance, but still retained some features of the Valkyries. Its head was the same, looking bizarre and out of place, and it wielded a greatsword that rivaled its body size.

"B-behold my greatest masterpiece. I-I was working on it to get promoted to line class. I-It's still hasn't reached the image I had in mind when I designed it, but it is still able to cleave through you. L-let's see if you can recover from dismemberment." He said while panting.

(That is a problem. I don't think I'll die, but it sure will hurt a lot, even if I am used to pain.) The soldier eyed the boy. (He seems tired. I guess creating that thing was more taxing than the first ones. I bet this is the last one he can make.)

The construct charged without warning, pulling Hanbei from his thoughts. It raised its sword into the air and, in the same manner, he reacted by deflecting, making it lose its balance and counter attack. This time though his sword didn't pass through it instead just imbedding slightly. The golem tried to take advantage of this and hit him, but the samurai managed to take out the sword and step back in time.

In the meantime, the young mage had composed himself and spoke up, "Don't think it will be that easy this time. It may not be steel yet, but I managed to mix some minerals in the earth within the golem to make it harder than normal bronze. You'll find it difficult to cut with your mere sword alone!"

(But it still penetrated a bit. All I need is something stronger. That technique should do it...it's already strong by itself, so I wonder what will happen with the power of these runes.)

At that, the Undying spaced his legs, straightened his back, and brought his sword in front of him, holding it steady with both hands.

Confused at this change of stance, Guiche didn't waste time and ordered his creation to march forward again. Hanbei raised his sword over his head. Usually, this move took a while to prepare if he wanted to utilize his full strength, but with the enhancements of the runes, he was ready to strike immediately. He waited for the moment when his opponent was at the right distance from him.

The metal warrior lowered itself for a sweeping attack this time, but the position allowed it to take the full force of the attack.

When it was about to strike, Hanbei's sword came down. For an instant, the world seemed to slow down as the blow connected. Then a loud noise was heard, like a roar of a thunder, and the golem disintegrated against the massive force of the attack.

Everyone was speechless after this display. Some of the more susceptible students fainted after the familiar had apparently raised from the dead, while the ones who managed to stay awake were both amazed and horrified by his performance.

Guiche just fell on his knees, praying that this demon of war didn't take his soul. "I-I give. Please spare me."

"Obviously. Despite what you said before, I am no demon. I am just an unlucky soldier who can't end his own suffering." He walked to him "Raise your head, Guiche la Gramont. You fought well and made this a satisfying match. I hope you remember your promise." He extended his hand at him.

The boy looked up and, for the first time, didn't see a commoner being disrespectful or a demon wanting to devour his soul. No, what he saw was an honorable knight offering his hand with compassion.

"T-thank you." He said as he was hoisted to his feet. "And of course I should never bother the maid or you ever again!"

The Undying nodded before turning around and strutting to the pinkette. He moved to sheathe his sword when he noticed something.

(The blade is bent. I guess that attack was too much for it. Maybe it can still be fixed if this land has good enough blacksmiths. I'll talk about it with Lady Louise.)

Standing before his master, he addressed her. "My lady, are you satisfied with what you saw of my abilities?"

Louise didn't know what to say. She really just expected him to get beaten to a pulp or maybe fight for a while before surrendering. Victory and resurrection weren't on the list of things she had expected.

"Y-yes! But I expect a full explanation, familiar!" She said with all the authority she could muster.

"Of course." He gestured for her lo lead the way back to the courtyard.

"Not here though. Let's go to my room where we have fewer prying eyes around."

"As you wish." Responded the soldier before turning to face Siesta who stood just beside the void mage "Will you be ok on your own now, Siesta?"

"Yes, sir Hanbei. Don't worry about me. Now that I won't get fired, I need to get back to work." She then excused herself and walked away with a distracted look as if thinking about something else.

In the same fashion, the pair of Familiar and Master began to head to the latter's room, knowing that was going to be a long day.

\- end chapter -

So, how was it?

I don't have much to say about it. I almost ended the chapter before the court scene, but I think it has been to much time since i promised there would be some fighting so I added it.

For those who are wondering. Yes, Hanbei used both the Mikiri counter and the Ichimonji. How he learned them is simple. You can't keep dying to the same techniques over and over without picking up at least how they work. It's not like he has mastered all the skill trees. He just learned the ones that are suitable for his fighting stile. So just the base of the Ashina stile and the shinobi moves that do not require acrobatics.

Until next Time! Bye!

Also I actually managed to beat the game! Yeah I said I was gonna quit but I was just salty at the time. I took a couple of days of from the game and decided to try again fully expecting to fail. And I did. But this time I was so resigned to die and so convinced that I couldn't do it that I actually remained calm for most of the fight and ended up defeating the boss in an hour

Thank you very much to my new beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


	5. Infested

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkigian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts _)

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic/Dreams_

\- Chapter 4 : Infested -

\- Louise's room -

The moment they entered the room, Louise closed the door and addressed her familiar. "Ok. Tell me all about that without leaving anything out!"

Hanbei had a solemn look on his face as he muttered, "As you wish." He then cleared his throat before continuing. "As I said before, I am not of this world."

"I am still skeptical about that, but go on." Louise interjected.

"I am from a country known as Japan. The area in particular is called Ashina. The more evident differences, like the moon and the social structure, I already told you about, so I will just address my situation. In my land exists special waters called 'Rejuvenating Waters.' If drinken, they make you lose the ability to die. Beings like me who have drinken these waters are called Undying or Infested. I can't die, I simply am. I will exist for all eternity."

"So the people of your land achieved immortality?!"

"It does come with disadvantages. For starters, it's not like I don't feel pain whenever I am stabbed or somebody slits my throat."

"But...in the fight, you acted like it was nothing." Louise responded, confusion apparent.

"That's because I am used to enduring pain. Anyway, another thing that usually happens is that whoever drinks the water tends to lose themselves over the years or go insane, either through solitude or just having nothing more to live for. I think I was lucky to remain myself for centuries."

"You've lived centuries?! Well, you look kind of old and have a lot of scars, but still..."

"I carry them well, but that is pretty much it. I don't have a grandiose story, nor I am some legendary undead warrior. I am just Hanbei, an Undying like many others. I will still serve you with all I have. It's not like I have anything better to do anyway." He ended the sentence with a shrug.

The girl puffed out her cheeks, irritated. "Don't think I'll let you be so disrespectful now. I understand that you have abilities that surpass normal humans, but I am still your master and you are my familiar."

"I was just trying to lighten the mood with a joke."

"A-anyway! Tomorrow is the day of the Void, so there will not be any lessons. I'd like to use this as an opportunity to visit the capital and buy you some some new clothes and armor to replace the broken and dirty ones you are wearing. Consider it a gift from me for showing your valor in battle."

"Thank you, my lady. I usually don't care too much for it, but I guess now that I am serving a noble once again, I have to be more presentable." He chuckled slightly. "I would also like to go to a blacksmith. My sword's blade was bent and it needs to be repaired."

"That will not do. If your sword bent over a fight as trivial as that, I can't imagine what will happen against an experienced mage. We'll get you a newer, sturdier one."

"It will be sad to leave behind the weapon that accompanied me for all these years, but you have a point. So, with that said, what would you like to do for the rest of the day?"

"Well, I guess we could-" A knock on the door interrupted the pinkette.

"Excuse me, Miss Louise? Sir Hanbei?" The soft voice of Siesta was heard outside the room.

The soldier walked to the door and opened it. "Yes, Miss Siesta, do you need any help?"

"No, I'm alright. I was sent here to deliver a message. The headmaster requested the both of you to his office immediately."

Louise turned pale hearing these words.

"Oh no! It's probably about your fight with Guiche. Maybe he asked the school for compensation on account of the humiliation he received or told them you are a demon that can't die. They probably think I used dark magic and labeled me as a heretic!"

"Please calm down, my lady! If that had been the case, they would probably send guards to take us instead of a simple maid. Let's just hear them out before jumping to the wrong conclusions."

\- Headmaster's office -

A man with a long beard wearing robes addressed the pair. "Miss Vallierè, I imagine you already know what led me to call you here."

"Yes, Headmaster Osmond. It is about the fight between my familiar and Guiche la Gramont, am I correct?"

"Absolutely. Your Familiar has not only has partaken in a duel with a noble, but also displayed abilities encountered only when talking about heretical studies."

Before the Headmaster could continue, Hanbei spoke up. "Please, sir. My lady has nothing to do with my condition. I have been this way for centuries and am fine with going through any type of persecution as long as she is left out of it."

The pinkette looked at the man with thankful eyes, deciding to ignore his lack of respect for a fellow noble.

"Don't worry! That will not be necessary."

The girl raised an eyebrow, asking, "So, I am not going to be burned at the stake?"

Professor Colbert, who was standing beside the headmaster, exclaimed, "Brimir, no! The mage has no control over what it summons during the ritual and you have shown time and time again that you are not the type of person who will use such dark magic. We were going to use this meeting as a way to judge Mister Hanbei's character and the results are very positive. He was willing to sacrifice his freedom for your safety, showing both loyalty and goodness that are rare these days."

"I thank you for the praises." declared the soldier gratefully "Then, are we free to go?"

The Professor continued, "I am afraid we would still like to know the story behind your abilities, both as a safety measure in case someone like you shows up and simply for pure academic curiosity."

The Undying looked at his master as if asking an unspoken question, to which she responded with a nod.

"Very well then. Let's start with addressing my homeland..."

\- hours later -

"Fascinating! I would very much like a sample of that water to study its properties. Perhaps it could also cure disease, given its regenerative properties? It's no wonder why it was considered the ruler's secret weapon." Professor Colbert began to murmur to himself.

"I know one shogun once used them to slow the advance of his sickness for some time. I don't know if it cured him though." Hanbei offered with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, I think I understand your situation better now. Hmm...to think the Familiar Summoning Ritual could bring beings from other worlds..."

"So, you believe him right away? I am still not sure about it!" Louise asked incredulously.

This time it was Osmond who addressed the pinkette. "Miss Louise, it is always good to have an open mind. It doesn't seem that he is lying and I am sure a country with access to those Rejuvenating Waters would be known worldwide as subject of inquisition for the church. Him being from a different world could easily explain all that."

The young mage fidgeted slightly. "W-well, if you say it like that, I guess it is plausible. T-then I should apologise for assuming you lied to me."

"I accept the apology." Said the soldier with a bow before turning to the other men. "I also thank you for understanding."

The professor smiled at that. "No problem. If you ever need anything, just ask away. I will admit I'd like to discuss more about your world."

The headmaster then added, "We also would like for you to keep your situation a secret from other people, especially nobles, as the prospect of immortality could bring harm to you or your master. We managed to convince the students that watched your duel that you were actually hurt, but the wound was not as serious as it seemed and you just acted as though you resurrected to scare your opponent."

And incredulous Luoise exclaimed, "And they believed that!?"

"As strange as that sounds, people believe that to be more reasonable than you summoning a demon, given you previous track record with your magic. Still, it is still not good to go around declaring it as if it was nothing."

Hanbei lowered his head. "I guess you are right. I always did not consider it a big deal, but here I am probably the only existing Infested."

"I actually wonder why they are also called Infested." Colbert mused aloud.

"Well, it is only a rumor and I didn't test it out, but it is said that the Undying have a giant worm living inside of them."

"Ew! That's disgusting!" Shouted Louise.

"But also very interesting! Maybe it could be the worm that is the actual source of immortality. If it is common to all of them, there could be some sort of symbiotic relationship between the parasite and the host. Uhm!" The professor's words trailed off as he began to ruminate the possibilities, lost in thought.

The headmaster sighed at his colleague's antics. "Well, for now that is all. Do you have any questions?"

The undying wondered for a minute before remembering something. "Actually, yes. While I was fighting with Mister Guiche, I noticed that, as I unsheathed my sword, the runes on the back of my hand started glowing and I felt stronger and faster. Is it normal?"

Colbert perked up at the question "Well, Familiars' runes sometimes give them special abilities like giving a parrot the ability to speak human language, for example. I'll say it is rare, but not impossible. If I may make a suggestion, you should do some tests to find out the scope of these abilities."

"I think I'll do it once I get a new weapon. And, again, I thank you for everything Lord Colbert, Lord Osmond."

The headmaster quickly followed up. "Please, just call me Osmond, or Old Man Osmond like most students do." The soldier nodded with a smile.

Then the master-familiar pair excused themselves and left the room. After the door closed, the older mage spoke up, "So, what do you make of it, Jean?"

The bold man declared. "As I stated earlier, he is sincere. I also had a better look at his runes during the conversation and, with the description he provided, I can say utmost certainty that he is one of the Void Familiars, The Gandalfr."

"To think that little girl inherited the Founder's magic and that man is the legendary familiar that is said to be able to fight against an entire army. We now can add immortality to its abilities. We are lucky Miss Vallieré is loyal to the country. I heard she is a childhood friend of the princess herself, so I don't think she is gonna try to take the throne by declaring it her sacred right."

Colbert continued, "Still, if some nobles find out, they could try to manipulate her. Are you sure it was the right decision to not tell her right away?"

"Yes, we should wait and see her development both as a mage and a person. Telling her now could be counterproductive if she is not ready." Declared Osmond with finality.

In that moment, someone knocked on the door, and a feminine voice followed, "Sir Osmond, may I come in? I brought the documents you requested."

The old man's face lit up, returning to his gentle old man persona "Oh, yes, Miss Longieville."

The door opened once again, this time revealing a green-haired woman with round glasses. "I'll leave them on your desk."

She proceeded to do so. At the same time, a small white mouse ran from under her skirt to Osmond's side, climbing on his hand.

The mage looked at the animal, whispering, "So, my friend what color is she wearing today?"

As if responding, the mouse started to make precise gestures that only its master could understand. After the message was delivered, the man unconsciously exclaimed, "Ah! White again today. It's not good, she should try something different some time. Maybe blue stripes. Uhm!"

Hearing this, the woman in question blushed and instead of simply putting the documents on the table, decided it would be more effective to deliver them directly on the old mage's head.

The victim of the 'attack' complained, "Ow! Why the violence, Miss Longieville? You should have more respect for the elders, for they have infinite more wisdom and experience."

"All I see here is an old pervert. Now, if you can excuse me, I have work to return to." The woman said with an angry voice before storming out of the room.

This time, it was Colbert who spoke, "I too think it was a very inappropriate thing to do."

There were no words to describe how hurtful the headmaster's expression was. "Not you too, Jean! Why can't an old man have some fun?"

All this happened while, on the other side of the door, a grave looking Miss Longueville said to herself, "Laugh all you want, old bastard. Let's see how happy you are when I get away with the loot."

None in fact knew at the time that the innocent looking secretary was none other that the infamous mage thief, Fouquet the Ceumbling Dirt.

\- Louise's room -

"I think that went quite well, Lady Louise."

Luoise responded while she finished putting on her night dress. "Yes, definitely better than what I expected, but I am tired now." She let herself fall into the bed and crawled beneath the sheets.

At the same time, the undying sat on the haypile beside the bed. "Yes, this was really an eventful day."

The pinkette eyed his position.

"What is it, my lady?"

"Tomorrow, I'll ask the headmaster to bring another bed. Immortality or not you'll eventually get backpain from sleeping on the floor."

The man smiled. (I guess she has a soft side after all.) They then said goodnight to each other and quickly fell asleep.

\- ? -

_Again there was the darkness. This time, Louise knew what to expect. In mere moments, the darkness was broken by a light, as if it were curtains being raised, and the scene of the last night continued._

_Her Familiar laid down on the floor in two pieces. Even so, she was not afraid this time as she now knew of his 'curse'. What she wasn't ready for was a giant centipede to come out of the upper half. It crawled to the other part, grabbed it, and brought it close to the first one until they touched. She saw bones and flesh reattach as the abomination retracted inside the now whole again body._

_(He wasn't joking about it then. Well, it is still possible this is all my imagination, but I'm sure I'd never think of something like that. I don't know if you can throw up in a dream, but if I see it one more time...)_

_Her thoughts were interrupted as the soldier rose up and began to frantically look around for his master. "__Shiro-sama!? Dammit!__" He quickly ran along the corridor outside the room and it didn't take him long to find the half-ogre again. The little girl lay draped over his shoulder, unconscious but still alive._

_The large man spoke up. "__Ohi-ohi! I thought I killed you.__" He brought a large gourd to his mouth, taking a swig of the liquid inside before continuing. "__Well, maybe I drank too much.__" Again, he swung his sword, but this time Hanbei deflected it like in the duel with Guiche._

_The hulking brute seemed more fed-up than angry. He put down the girl and continued to attempt to hit the Undying with his weapon. They seemed to be in equal odds. The superior strength and bulk of the brute was a big advantage, but, at the same time, he was slower and easy to predict, leaving the familiar plenty of room to deflect or evade his attacks._

_"__You are quite good, I'll give you that...but you forgot something.__" The bandit stepped back and retrieved the little noble, positioning his sword dangerously close to her throat. "__I have something you want.__"_

_The soldier was frozen in place, aware of the danger to his master's daughter._

_At the same time, the girl started to wake up. "__Uh! W-what is happening?__" _

_She then saw her warrior. "__Hanbei! You are alive!__" Her happiness faded when she noticed the sword. "__AH! Help me, Hanbei! I don't want to die!__"_

_"__Please remain calm, Shiro-sama. I will rescue you and bring you to your father's side again. Just have a little patience.__" He tried to keep her calm as he thought of a strategy._

_A couple of thugs came from around the corner "__Hey, boss Juzou! Look who we found outside the estate trying to escape!__" Hanbei's eyes widened at the sight of the bound man with them._

_"__Minato-sama!__" He was about to rush to them, but stopped himself. There was no way he was going to save them by acting on impulse and risk antagonizing the bandits._

_"__Good. Now you understand.__" The drunkard spoke to the nobleman "I__f you want us to spare your lives, you are going to tell us where you hide your fortune, and not just the few hundreds and jewels we found.__"_

_"__I am sorry, but those are the only valuable things in here. My family is going through a period of financial crisis. We don't have enough money. Whoever gave you any information about me and my properties omitted that, most likely in order to make you pay him more than necessary.__"_

_The giant was not happy to hear that. "__Then there is no reason to keep any of you alive!__" He raised his sword and slashed through the man's body._

_"__Father! I hate you! You are a demon!__" _

_The outlaw laughed __"Demon? I like the sound of that! But I still don't like to keep a daughter and her father separated."__ He once again brought his sword near her throat._

_Hanbei abandoned all reason and charged, blinded by rage. "__I won't let you!__" _

_Before he could come any closer, a gunshot was heard and a hole opened up in his chest. He turned around to see another of Jusou's men handling a smoking rifle "__Sorry, but you don't get to decide that.__" _

_Barely a second after that, the giant sword hit its mark again, this time cutting of the Undying's head._

_The scene once again faded out as the screams of a little girl filled its last moments._

\- end chapter -

So, How was it?

I really don't have much to say as this was pretty much an explanation chapter.

I don't know if Isshin has a title like Shogun, but I needed a name outside of "The ruler" so I went with that. I then said Hanbei was from the AREA of Ashina because I don't know how to call it (Region?Prefecture?treat it as an independent state?).

Also I showed here and in the last chapter Hanbei's regenerative abilities. For those who are wondering he is not wolverine. He will heal, but as I alread wrote deep and letal blows will leave scars on him, only superficial wounds disapear complitly. I mean if an undying doesn't heal then he would be full of holes buy now.

And for those that are confused as the timeline of the flashbacks. The ones shown so far happened around 3-5 years before the start of the game. So It makes sense that Jusou was operating in that period. I decided to add a poetic flavor making so that The Wolf killed the man who is responsable for the loss of Hanbei's master.

I'll wait before releasing anything after the next chapter because of one of the commenters implying that Hanbei could have a reason to hate/being reluctant to using the Ashina stile because of something happening in the short manga "Sekiro Gaiden" that told his story. I will branch out a bit from canon Sekiro lore sometimes, but I plan to use/mention the Shina in the future and I would like Hanbei's reaction to be as close as possible to the one the game's Hanbei will have. The problem is that I couldn't find anything about that manga, so if someone knows what happens(even summary is ok) please write it in a review or send me a message if you don't want to spoil things for others.

Untill Next Time! Bye!

Thank you very much to my new beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


	6. The Sword with a Soul

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkigian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts _)

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic/Dreams_

**You know who**

\- Chapter 5 : The Sword with a Soul -

\- Tristania's Academy of Magic : Stables -

"Something is troubling you, my lady?" Asked Hanbei, concerned.

"Uh, I just had a bad dream last night. Nothing to worry about." Responded a sleepy-looking Louise.

The soldier raised an eyebrow, curious as he asked, "What was it about? Sometimes sharing it makes it feel better."

"N-nothing important!"

(_Until I am sure it wasn't my imagination, I don't want to bring it up._)

"Actually, there is something else that I haven't been able to get out of my head since yesterday and I would like to ask you about it."

"Ask away."

"You mentioned 'serving a master once again.' Were you under the service of a noble in the past?"

His face darkened for a second. "It is not something I really like to talk about."

"Please, I want to know something about you too, not just your world."

"Well, if you insist so much..." He cleared his throat before continuing, "Yes, I have served someone before. Long ago, I was appointed as the guard of a nobleman named Minato Hoshigaki. He was not one of the most important ones, nor one of the richest, but still, he accepted me into his ranks despite knowing my situation. Everyone else would have either avoided me or hunted me down. Lord Minato picked me off the street and made me a member of his personal guard and, with time, I became the captain of the guard and was responsible for the overall security of the estate. It had been years since I truely felt like I belonged somewhere. It was the best time of my life."

"What happened then?" Asked the pinkette, hoping to be wrong about what was to follow.

"One night we were attacked by a group of bandits. They came from all sides with explosives and overwhelmed the guards with their numbers. I helped my Lord escape through a secret tunnel, but his daughter was still in the building, so I went back for her."

As every word was spoken, Louise paled even more. (_So it was true! I did see his past in my dreams!_)

Hanbei continued "When I found her, we were attacked by the leader of the bandits. I later learned that his name was Juzou. He was a Sumo wrestler turned thief who was responsible for many attacks at nobles' domains. Anyway, at that time, I was weak and couldn't save my masters. They both ended up getting killed during the attack. For many years, I have only wanted to find a way to die, ashamed of not being able to follow them in the afterlife. Eventually I found a way to do so, but a friend of mine convinced me to desist, saying that I had done everything I could. He, too, was fighting to save his master, but I never found out if he succeeded."

That last line was followed by a reminiscent smile of the Undying.

The young mage declared apologetically, "I am really sorry I made you dig up those painful memories, but I am also glad you shared them and I promise I will become a powerful mage one day so you won't have to worry about me being helpless."

The man looked at his master, surprised by her sudden kindness.

(I expected it would take more time to have some respect shown to me. Maybe she is more mature than she looks.)

"That is very thoughtful of you, but, for now, let's hurry up. For what I understand, it would take a while to reach the capital even on horseback and I still need a new weapon to protect you until that day you mentioned comes."

The pinkette blushed after that comment "O-of course! Let's depart then! And don't think I'll get stronger just for you! It was my objective way before you showed up!"

"I would never assume otherwise, Lady Louise." Concluded Hanbei with a playful tone.

(It seems there is still room for improvement after all.)

\- Tristania's capital -

The pair had just arrived in town some minutes ago. The ride was quite peaceful, but Louise could not shake off the awful feeling she experienced after her Familiar's story.

(_He has been through a lot in his life. It is difficult to imagine how he can still smile sometimes. He may be a commoner, but he has a very kind soul that many nobles would need. I will talk to him about the dreams. I just want to see a bit more before doing so._)

"It should be around the corner. Here we are!" They were now in front of a building with a sign featuring a shield with two crossed swords in front if it.

"Do you know of this place?" Asked Hanbei.

"Yes, my father once brought me to the capital and I saw this shop. It is said to be one of the best for nobles and their soldiers."

They entered and were immediately greeted by the shop owner, a little man with a bulbous nose who spoke volumes of just how much he enjoyed a good drink.

"Oh, good nobles. I run an honest business here. We've had no trouble with the authorities."

The pinkette quickly corrected him, "We are here as customers. My guard needs a new weapon and we would like to purchase one of your finest swords."

The man's eyes lit up at that.

"Ah! I've got just the right thing for you!" He then disappeared in the back before coming out with what was probably the shiniest sword the soldier had ever seen.

"This right here is the best I have in stock. Crafted by a famous Germanian alchemist, it is able to cut through steel like butter."

He gave it to the Undying who eyed it carefully and tried it out with a few swings before giving it back to him.

"This won't do. Please bring something else."

The young mage was surprised "Why?! It seems like a very good sword."

"A very good-looking one, maybe, but it has many flaws that are impossible to ignore. First thing it is made of gold, which is a soft metal that doesn't hold an edge. Perhaps it was enchanted to be able to cut anyway, but it still feels wrong. There is also the fact that the balance is all off. If I were to wield it, I would lose my stance immediately after the first clash. Please bring something made of steel or a sturdier alloy. I would like to specifically request a two-handed longsword with a single-edged blade."

Both Louise and the shop owner were speechless.

"**Ah-ah! The old man got you there!**" A metallic male voice was heard out of nowhere.

"Who goes there!?" Asked the soldier, looking around.

"**Where are you looking? I'm right here.**" Having located the source, Hanbei eyed a specific sword in the discount barrel.

Hanbei was confused by the situation "Lady Louise, did that sword speak just now?"

"I think it did! I never heard of a talking sword before."

"**Of course you never saw anything like me! I am the one and only legendary sword, Derflingher!**" There was a moment of awkward silence before the sword continued. "**Well, maybe not so legendary anymore...but still worth a try, right? What do you say, big guy?**"

The Undying approached the barrel with uncertainty, but picked up the blade and unsheathed it. It was a slightly curved longsword similar to the once he knew, but it had a crossguard and the blade was bigger. The most prominent feature though was how rusty the blade was.

He took some trying swings.

(The balance and weight is perfect. The material seems very good.)

He scratched away some rust, revealing a little section of the perfectly conserved blade.

(It is only on the surface, the blade is intact. I bet a little bit of oil is all it would take.)

"How much for this one?"

"Oh, you can have it for 50 silver coins. I've been trying to get rid of it for months. I bought it while drunk and regretted every day. It keeps insulting the customers."

"**That's because they couldn't recognise a good sword even if it stabbed them in the throat!**"

The samurai ignored that comment "Well, it's your lucky day because we are buying it."

"What? But it's just a rusty piece of metal!"complained the pinkette.

"**Ohi! watch your tongue, pinky. Talk to me when you are grown up.**"

The young mage started fuming and slowly reached for her wand as she shouted, "What did you just say!?"

Their argument was interrupted by Hanbei "Please calm down, both of you!" He then addressed his master, "Lady Louise, I think Mister Derflingher is actually a very good sword. As the saying goes, 'You can't judge a book by its cover.'"

"**Ah, you have a fine eye for steel. I like it, but stop being so formal and just call me Derf! I hope we get along, Partner!**"

The purchase was made while Louise kept wondering what sort of mess she just got herself in.

-Tristain Academy of Magic : a couple of hours after -

"**Oh, you are immortal!? Ah-ah ! I've hit the jackpot! No more spending years in dusty shops waiting for a new wielder! You seem to actually be a good one! Is it my birthday or something?**"

The Undying responded with a soft smile "Can't say I am not surprised to be able to use and converse with a six-thousand-year-old sword. You might be even older that the mortal blades, not that we have any idea of when they were forged."

The past hours were spent like this. Hanbei brought Derflingher up to speed with the whole Undead staff, while the sword spoke of its age and shared some useless stories about its previous wielders. Still, Louise raised an eyebrow at her Familiar's last words.

"What are these mortal blades you spoke of?"

The soldier didn't see any harm in telling them.

"They are legendary sister swords of my world that are magically enchanted to kill immortals like me. Probably the only things that could do it."

"**Then we are lucky they are there and not here. Though, with sister swords, there could be some three way sword crossing if you know what I mean. Wink-wink.**" He actually said the gesture out loud, lacking the parts to physically wink.

The pinkette became red like a tomato "Shut up, you perverted sword! Don't joke about it! I would never want such weapons to be here and surely not anywhere near my Familiar! Assume that again and I swear to the founder Brimir that I'll have you melted and turned into horseshoes!" She had her wand in her hand, ready to blast it away.

"**Calm down, pinky, or you'll get wrinkles! Also, that name you mentioned...I think I've heard it somewhere else. But where? Uhm! Ah, I can't remember!**"

Louise looked at the weapon, angry at the first part of the sentence, but more confused by the second one.

"It's obvious you heard it. It is the name of the man who, six thousand years ago, gave us nobles the gift of magic and established the core principles of the society as we know today."

"**No, it was in a more specific situation. Well, it will come out eventually.**"

"Suit yourself. Anyway, it is almost time for dinner. After that, I would like to go to bed." She then addressed the Undying, "The headmaster mentioned that yours should have been brought in my room while we were away."

"I again thank you for your kindness in asking for that, Lady Louise." He then finished his phrase with a slight bow.

\- Louise's room : late at night -

That night, his master seemed to sleep more soundly than usual.

(Good, she seems to not be having nightmares this time. Maybe it's because this day was pretty uneventful aside for getting to know Derflingher.)

Since the man had problems sleeping, he decided to take a walk around the school grounds, bringing Derflingher with him as company.

\- in the hallways -

The man sighed, catching the attention of the sword strapped to his side.

"**What's the problem there, partner?**"

The soldier was distracted from his thoughts.

"Nothing important. Just reminiscing about my homeland. It's true there was nothing left for me to do there, but I still feel a bit homesick thinking about it."

"**Ah, don't sweat it! What's in the past remains there, no matter how much you think about it. You also had a lot of time to explore this world. Who knows if there are ways to come back? I am kind of curious to visit it too.**"

The man said, "I am pretty sure there is a way. I don't know what it is, but what goes in one direction can usually come back in the same fashion. Anyway, you are right about something. I shouldn't be here moping around, as it is useless. I guess I will return to Lady Louise's room and try to sleep a bit."

He was about to do just that when he saw something unusual happen in the courtyard from a window in the corridor.

Siesta, with a bag on her back, was looking around worried and heading for the forest.

(That is kind of strange at this late hour. She also seems to be in much of a hurry.)

"Maybe I should follow her, just to be sure she is not in danger."

"**I say go for it. In the worst case, there could be some action. In the best case, you would just have to apologize for being a creepy stalker**."

Hanbei was clearly displeased by that last comment "Please don't say something like that. I am just worried for her safety."

The pair then began to follow the same path traversed by the girl, trying to catch up to her.

\- Forest outside the Academy : night -

"I am sure she went this way. She is quite fast for her frame." Said Hanbei, looking around.

"**Yo, Partner! Maybe we should turn back. She was trying very hard to not get spotted, so we shouldn't pry too much.**"

"I admit it was out of curiosity that I followed her, but the fact she is so hard to find is actually making me worry." The Undying confessed.

Suddenly a noise was heard in the silence of the trees.

"What was that? It sounded like something metallic hitting something."

"**I am kind of worried too now. That was the sound of a sword hitting a tree.**"

Having heard that, Hanbei started to sprint in that direction, gaining speed every time he saw a tree with a scratch that was clearly not natural. He stopped when he came across a small clearing.

The reason he did that was not for the place itself, but for what he spotted within it.

The trees surrounding the area had been damaged by blades, some of which had been cut down to the stumps. On one side of a large tree sat Siesta with her eyes closed in a meditative state.

The more surprising part, though, was her position. She had her legs spaced with her back slightly arched forward. In her left hand, she was holding a sheathed sword, while her right hand was hovering over the handle, ready. It was not a knight's sword either, it was a katana much like the one Hanbei usually wielded. It looked too long for her.

It took only a moment for the soldier to recognise that stance and his eyes widened.

(It can't be!)

Silence once more reigned in the clearing. Not even a gust of wind tried to distract the girl from her objective.

She breathed in slowly.

In an instant, she opened her eyes and acted. She released the blade in a flash, continuing the motion in a rising slash that cleaved through the wood like butter. When she reached the right height, the blade came down in a similar fashion, crossing with the still fresh trail of the previous blow and stopping mere millimeters above the ground.

The girl breathed out as she put her sword in the sheath and the tree fell on the ground with a loud thud.

She stated between herself, "Not quite fast enough, but I am getting better."

"**Are you kidding me? You could catch a flying beetle with that speed!**" That comment awaked Hanbei from his shock-induced paralysis.

"Who's there!?" Asked Siesta before unsheating her sword once again and taking a fighting stance.

The Undying quickly stepped into the light and responded, not wanting to face the master swordswoman, "It's just me, Miss Siesta!"

"Sir Hanbei? What are you doing here?" She then looked at her sword and hastily put it away "Th-this...I can explain!"

The man was surprised by the sudden change of character and quickly said, "Please, Miss Siesta, there is nothing to explain. It is I who should apologise for disrupting your training. I must say, I am of the same idea as Derf. That was the best executed Ashina Cross I have witnessed in years, if not centuries."

The maid blushed at that last comment.

"Thank you, but there is still a slight delay between the two slashes."

"**Yeah, if you could move like a lightning bolt after dying from the first blow!**"

Hearing that voice again, Siesta looked at the man, confused.

"Sir Hanbei, did your sword just talk?"

He chuckled slightly at the girl's surprise.

"Yes, this is Deflingher, my new weapon. He's a bit of a talkative fellow, but you get used to it. Sometimes he can even be wise in what he says."

"**Flattery won't get you anywhere, Partner! But it is good to be appreciated.**"

The soldier than continued, "Anyway I need to ask. Where did you learn that technique?"

"Before that, I would like to ask something myself."

"I see no problem with that. What do you want to know?"

"You are not of this world, right?"

The soldier was once again surprised buy the swordswoman.

"Yes, you are correct. I was summoned here by Lady Louise's spell, but not simply from another country. Could you tell me when and how you discovered it?"

"After the fight with Lord Guiche...that move you used at the end was clearly the Ichimonji and you surviving that blow from the golem probably means you are an Undying."

"And why do you know of those things?"

"My Grandfather told me. He always said he was from another world, but no one ever believed him in our village. He also taught me everything I know about sword fighting using the style he was an expert with."

Hanbei narrowed his eyes before asking the most important question, "What was his name?"

"His name was Isshin Ashina and I am his granddaughter Siesta Ashina."

\- end chapter -

So how was it?

Interesting stuff in this one. Derf is now in the fic and I hope I give him justice. The thing I am most uncertain about is the description a gave of him.

Also can anyone tell which other anime character is name Hoshigaki like hanbei's late master?

Don't think that Hanbei's concern for Siesta is some sign of romance. I am not planning for it both because I think he is to old to be interested and because because I don't think I can write a good romance in my first fic. That doesn't mean there could not be girls interested in him, it just means it not the same the other way around.

Also big reveal about Siesta's family. Who guessed that one? Next chapter will be the rest of this conversation and Hanbei's reaction, though you will have to wait because of Sekiro Gaiden, like I mentioned last time. I am not gonna wait a western release, but I'll need time to figure out how to continue. I'll have to come up with Hanbei's back story on my own from now on, so it will probably be very different from the one the manga tells. Just saying it in case someone stumbles on the fic after what is written there is of public domain.

Untill next time! Bye!

Thank you very much to my beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


	7. The Sword that doesn't cut

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkigian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts_ )

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic/Dreams/Memories_

**"Derf's Dialog"**

\- Chapter 6 : The sword that doesn't cut -

\- Forest outside the Academy : night -

For several minutes, there was a solemn silence. Siesta was waiting for Hanbei to say something while the Undying was processing the new discovery.

Now that he knew this, the other pieces started to fall into place. He began to recollect memories in which he had harbored a strange feeling about Siesta. It seemed as though his instinct had been correct all along.

During their first encounter, she seemed like a kind girl and her cordial demeanor became a disguise. The way she walked was perfect in the sense that she didn't make even a single wasted movement, nor a mere breath out of place. The first time she spoke with him, every muscle in her body was relaxed, not because she was calm, but as to not overexert herself in preparation for every move he could have made. She had instinctively developed the reflexes of a warrior.

Later, when Guiche was yelling at her, her face spoke of submission, but her body said otherwise. She was again ready to evade any attack and her hands were poised to grab a sword that wasn't fastened to her side. Hanbei and everyone around Siesta fell victim to the assumption that she had been harmless, that she was nothing more than a common maid.

(So she is the granddaughter of that man. If it wasn't for him, Lord Tamura would still be-)

The soldier stopped when he realized he was clenching his fist unconsciously. He breathed in and out to calm himself.

(What am I even thinking about? They may be related, but the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It's what you do with your life that shows who you are. When did I turn into the wolf who always brooded and never smiled? Siesta has shown me that she is a caring and gentle person, not a battle crazy warrior like Isshin was. Let's ask for some clarification before jumping to conclusions.)

"Aside from the obvious questions I have, I am mostly confused by something. Why is someone with your level of skill working as a maid? I imagine you could be at least part of the military. It would bring more money to your family."

The girl responded with a sad expression.

"My father never approved of me learning from grandfather. He never really told me why, but something happened in the past that convinced him to abandon the way of the sword and open a farm like my grandmother's parents. For most of the time, I had to practise in secret by sneaking out at night. Even if he was against it, I wanted to learn, both to spend more time with my grandfather and to become more like him. He was my hero."

"_Was_? Did he die? As much as I don't want to admit it, I can't imagine anybody managing to kill him."

"Yes, he perished around two years ago. Our town was attacked by a large group of bandits and he fought them off alone."

"Isshin Ashina was killed by a group of simple bandits?!" Exclaimed the bewildered Undying.

"Well, in his final years, a grave illness claimed him. No medic or healing mage could understand its cause. He could barely lift up a blade for more than a couple of minutes a day at that point! Even so, he always found the strength to spar with me every once in a while."

"And now that he is gone, you are doing this on your own beneath the veil of night so that nobody finds out." Hanbei clarified, arms crossed in a pensive gesture.

"Yes, some of the staff actually knows I am doing this, but they think I am going out chopping wood because I have problems sleeping."

"**Really? And they believe that? You look a little bit frail for the job.**"

She opened her mouth to retort, but the Undying addressed the sword's question before her.

"She probably displayed physical strength that made it believable." He then looked at the fallen tree behind her. "And she seems more than capable of doing the job. She probably has a lot of muscle under that dress of hers."

Once again, Siesta blushed.

"I know many people will consider me less feminine for that, but grandfather often told me stories about a strong swordswoman he once faced. He always insisted that he had never met another woman as elegant as her aside from my grandmother and, even then, he probably said such only to save face."

The soldier chuckled slightly at the last sentence.

The girl, though embarrassed by her grandfather antics, continued "A-anyway, I beg you don't tell this to anyone! I don't want my dad to find out I still practice. I'll do anything."

Siesta had begun to lower herself to her knees in a plea, but Hanbei halted her.

"Please, you don't have to worry. It was never my intention to reveal it to anybody. You have my word. The only thing I want is the chance to speak to you more about your grandfather."

"Thank you! I will gladly answer any questions you have."

"Then the first question is: how did he get here? Did he get summoned like me?"

Siesta shrugged "He didn't speak about it in much detail. All he said was that he was heading for a place called the Divine Realm to hide an important artifact from his country. He said something strange happened during the ritual and he somehow ended up in the middle of the forest just outside of Tarble, my hometown. I'm sorry, but even he never understood how he ended up here."

The Undying scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"That doesn't give me much information. I know someone who was searching for a way to go to the Divine Realm, but I don't know the specifics of the ritual. Did he mention what he felt was so 'strange'?"

"All he told me was that the sun was obscured by a shadow."

"I believe I have heard such from my travels. It is known as an 'eclipse,' if I am not mistaken. From what I understand about the phenomenon, it occurs infrequently. Well...it is something to start with at least." Hanbei mused with a shrug.

This time, it was Siesta who asked, "Sir Hanbei? Do you wish to return to your world?"

The soldier gave it a moment of thought before responding.

"Not really. I don't have anything or anyone waiting for me there, but it's always good to have multiple options and I would like to discover a way to at least visit my homeland again in the event that I ever get homesick or need something from there."

A nostalgic smile briefly worked its way to his face before Hanbei opted to shift the subject of the conversation.

"Anyway, can I ask you about your weapon? It seems rather large for you."

Siesta smiled brightly as she absentmindedly ran her fingers along the sword's handle.

"Yes, this was grandfather's sword. He left it to me after he passed away. I know I should get a weapon that suits my size, but I feel like I need to use it in order to honor his legacy in a way."

"That is understandable."

He then paused for a minute.

(It appears that what I thought about her thus far has been confirmed. She is kind and seems to be the exact opposite of Isshin in terms of personality, but I still don't feel that I have enough information to be entirely sure. Alas, there is only one way left...)

The soldier spoke up in a grave tone, "Well, I guess that explains a lot of the things that seemed odd about you. Even so, I actually have a second request I want to make before we speak further."

"And what is it?" Siesta asked, voice quivering in uncertainty.

Hanbei promptly unsheathed Derflingher "Face me in battle! Here and now!"

Both the sword and the maid were surprised by his request.

"**Wow, Partner, clam down! What's all this about fighting the girl!?**"

"I am of the same opinion as Mister Derflingher. Why do you want to duel me?" Siesta questioned, though she had instinctively reached for her sword.

"I won't lie to you. I have met your grandfather once on a battlefield. He killed a man I deeply respected and I have hated him for a long time. I won't condemn you for his actions, but now that your secret is out, I want to know what type of person you really are."

He then pointed the rusty sword in her direction.

"This is the simplest way, as the true colors of a swordsman are shown when they fight!"

The girl understood that there was no way to make him change his mind and reluctantly drew her weapon.

"T-then I accept the challenge! What will decide who wins?"

"Usually, I'd declare a deathmatch, but I guess this time we continue until the first blow connects or the opponent gives up. Do you agree to this terms?"

The girl nodded and they both assumed their respective stances. Siesta straightened out her posture and swung her sword in front of her, gripping it with both hands as Hanbei followed suit with Derflingher positioned beside his head as the runes began to activate.

There was a second of silence before Hanbei acted. He began with a sweeping attack that Siesta evaded by jumping back, but continued using a thrust before she even landed. The swordswoman rebutted by deflecting the blow to her side.

The soldier then began a series of fast downward slashes that she either blocked or deflected in succession. Ending his fury of attacks, he raised his sword over his head and performed the rune-powered Hichimonji he used against Guiche. Knowing the strength of the blow, Siesta reacted by sidestepping the attack, not wanting to risk missing the timing of a deflection.

They continued to trade blows and, after a while, they distanced themselves, using the opportunity to catch their breath.

(She is as skilled as I expected, but there is something wrong in the way she fights. She has been only on defence this entire time. Let's test something out then.)

He reared back his blade, preparing another thrust, and sprinted at her, this time not using the increased speed the runes gave him and widely telegraphing his attack. As expected, the maid deflected the move while Hanbei purposely stood still, taking more time than necessary to recover. This left him open, but instead of taking advantage of the opening, the girl stepped back, once again assuming her starting position.

Now having understood Siesta's intentions, the Undying spoke up.

"I see you are not fighting me seriously. I basically offered you victory on a silver platter after that last attack, but you decide to back down. Why did you do that? I hope you are not underestimating me!"

"What? No! I know you are a very skilled fighter, but I still can't understand why you challenged me. There is no reason for us to fight and I don't want to hurt you!"

"Even so, you have accepted my challenge. As such, you should fight with all you have. Limiting yourself is an insult to both of our skills. If you insist on holding back, then I'll have to break your shell open with brute force!" He declared as he sheated Derflingher and assumed a pose Siesta knew all too well.

The swordswoman didn't have time to think as the soldier unleashed a modified Ashina cross, one amplified in both speed and strength by the runes. Her body reacted on instinct as she deflected the slashes. The world seemed to move in slow motion as the sound of the weapons clashing rang throughout the forest. Soon, the sounds ceased with the clanging of metal punctuated by the hard sound of a sword impaling the earth.

In the clearing now stood the two warriors. Hanbei was unarmed while Siesta held her blade a hair's width from his throat. Impressed, the Undying grinned.

"I knew you had the skills to deflect that. I can recognize a good swordsman when I see one."

Taking a step back, he lifted his hands into the air in surrender.

"I yield, Miss Siesta."

He then bowed as the maid lowered weapon.

"It was a satisfying match...though, why did you insist on not hitting me? I do not demand you give me a killing blow, but an effort to do so would have been a nice challenge."

"That is simply because I can't." Answered the maid, staring at the ground with a solemn expression on her face. "It has always been like this. I can do the techniques, but I can't bring myself to hurt people. My body halts just before delivering the blow. Grandfather insisted that it was a result of my kind spirit bleeding through. I was hoping you would have forfeited the match if I tired you out by stalling."

"Why insist on training and learning the Ashina style if you can't use it properly? I remember one, if not the only, principle being to win at all costs."

Siesta became flustered. Balling her hands into fists, she prepared to defend her choice.

"Because I wanted my family's traditions to live on! The Sword Arts my grandfather lived and breathed would have died with him and I couldn't allow that to happen. I understand that it could seem contradictory, but that was and still is my wish."

The man closed his eyes and sighed. "I am sorry I made you go through all that, but there is no doubt in my mind now about the type of person you are."

His face twisted into a sincere grin.

"You are, without a doubt, a kind and gentle girl and I hope that you are able to find the strength to forgive me for my insistence."

Siesta swatted away a stray tear that ran down her face. "I forgive you, but please don't ask me something like that ever again."

"I can't really promise that. It has been a while since I had so much fun in a duel! Are you sure you wouldn't want to do it again?" Hanbei proposed.

"I-I'll think about it." Siesta stammered, overwhelmed by the proposition.

Hanbei then clapped his hands in a conclusory manner.

"Then I say it is quite late and we should both head back now."

"Wait are you not gonna ask anything else? What about..."

Before she could continue, Hanbei raised a hand to silence her.

"I will ask you more in the morning. Please come to my lady's room at sunrise. I think it would be best for her to be present as I have something to say to both of you, Lady Siesta." Hanbei concluded with a low bow.

A stain of red surfaced on Siesta's cheeks and she stepped back, flustered by the commentary.

"L-lady? Please, there is no need to address me that way! I am a commoner just like everyone else."

Hanbei raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well, you have the blood of the Ashina clan in you. Even after the government changed in my world, that alone would grant you a nobiliar title."

"E-even if it is true, we are not in your world and I never considered myself a noble, nor did grandfather. He always said he never cared for titles and fought only to reclaim the land of the Ashina clan and for the thrill of a good fight." The maid explained, fidgeting as she spoke.

"That seems like something he would say. Alright then, I will stick to 'miss' as before."

"Actually, I would like you to just call me Siesta. With you knowing my secret, we should forgo the formalities."

He smiled and began to walk toward the academy.

"Then you shall call me Hanbei as well. Let's head back now, Siesta."

The girl simply nodded and, without further question, they headed back to the academy.

"**Wait, Partner! Don't forget about me!**" Derflingher shouted, still impaled in the ground.

_\- ? -_

_Louise was again enveloped by darkness and she idly wondered what vision would occur this time. Would Derflingher play a role this time around? Would she witness when Hanbei received his previous sword? She assumed that the events of the day would influence the dream, but, as a blinding white light washed over her, Louise found that she was greeted with an entirely different scenario._

_She found herself standing in the midst of a busy street. Fat, unforgiving droplets of rain poured from the sky and passersby hurried past, huddled beneath their umbrellas for shelter. Above the loud cascade of rain, a shrill cry was heard._

_"__Thief! Somebody call the guards! A thief stole my bread.__"_

_Louise spun around in time to witness a small child with a mop of unruly, dark hair dart by with a loaf of bread clutched to his chest. Though she couldn't place why he seemed familiar, Louise was certain she had met him before._

_With the market far behind him, the boy ducked into an alleyway and found reprieve in the shadows. After one final surveillance of his surroundings, he began to tear into the bread wolfishly. Given his ravenous behavior and the tattered, filthy state of his loose attire, Louise assumed he had been starved._

_His feast came to an abrupt halt as a voice boomed, "__Ah! That looks quite yummy, boy...but I doubt you paid for it. Am I wrong?__"_

_The street kid raised his head to look at the man, allowing to Louise see him as well. If Jizou seemed like a hybrid between a human and an Ogre, then he was probably related to a giant. He appeared to be around his thirties. His dark hair was cropped short and he was wearing a dark red kimono with uncomfortable looking wooden sandals. _

_The pinkette felt confidence and authority coming in waves from the half-giant, but apparently the boy didn't notice it as he responded in an annoyed tone, "__So what? It's mine now!__"_

_That level of insolence would have any noble the girl knew fuming with rage, but instead the man began laughing wholeheartedly. _

_"__Ahahah! You have guts, brat! What would you parents say if they saw you stealing like that?__"_

_"__I don't know. They died when I was still a baby. I've been alone ever since.__" The kid spat as he took another mouthful of bread._

_"__So you survived on your own all this time and you're quick on your feet. I was just strolling around town when I noticed the stunt you pulled off earlier in the market. I know a hidden gem when I see one. What do you say, kid? Would you like to come to my estate and train to become a soldier? You will fight to keep Ashina's peace and prevent other kids' parents from dying. Furthermore, if you say yes, I promise you won't ever go hungry again!__"_

_The kid rubbed his chin for a while, evaluating the offer before saying, "__Ok, I accept.__"_

_"__Great! I am Kazuyoshi, by the way. Kazuyoshi Tamura. Most people call me General Tamura. And you are?__" The general asked while holding out his hand to the boy._

_"__Hanbei.__" responded Louise's future familiar as he took the man's hand and began walking out of the alley while everything faded to black once more._

_\- ? -_

_When a new scene appeared, the young mage found herself on a violent battlefield. Hanbei appeared to be older this time, clad in heavy armor adorned with black leather plating. The ensemble was accompanied by a black helm and face mask and he appeared to be brawling with more lightly armed soldiers. Between him and his similarly clad comrades, a river of blood flowed across the earth and Louise felt bile rise in her throat at the sight of it._

_The view shifted away from the Undying, focusing instead on a more empty part of the battlefield where two figures were locked in combat. One was easily recognisable by his height as Tamura. He was wearing red armor and a red helm topped with intricately designed golden horns. His weapon of choice appeared to be a cross-spear._

_His opponent was a shorter man, although still tall for normal standards, wearing brown, leather-plated armor in a similar style. Three arrows were embedded in his left shoulder pad. He, too, had black hair and beard, hidden beneath a helm adorned with a golden symbol, of a different shape than the general's one. He was wielding a sword._

_They fought for a while. Tamura was keeping the other man at bay with his superior range, while his adversary continued to dodge or block his attacks. Their exchanges almost looked like a dance more than a fight._

_Even so, the pinkette could tell how a slight error could spell death for both of them. Unfortunately, that was the case for Tamura as, after a clash, he ended up unbalanced, prompting his opponent to stab him in the foot. After that, he angrily thrust his spear at the swordsman, who deflected it and weaved under the giant's guard, slashing at his stomach. He then got up on his back and stabbed the sword in his neck._

_The dead body of the general fell on the ground as the winner shouted, "__General Tamura is no more!__"_

_In that moment, Hanbei, who separated from his group to help his by now dead master, came into view again. Sensing his presence, the bearded man turned around and addressed him._

_"__Your leader is defeated. If you surrender now, I promise you will be spared.__"_

_The Undying remained silent and simply raised his sword, eyes full of hatred in a way Louise never imagined to be possible for the man._

_His enemy smirked at the sight. _

_"__So you want to avenge your lord instead of giving up, even after you saw me defeat him?__" He too brought his blade in front of him at eye level. "__I like your spirit. My name is Isshin Ashina, what is yours? It is only proper for two men to exchange names before a duel to the death.__"_

_"__My name is Hanbei.__" Deadpanned the soldier before charging at Isshin with a thrust._

_The pinkette expected the duel to last for a while. Instead, the Ashina's matriarch simply deflected his first attack and immediately after pierced him in the throat. He pulled out his sword and the Undying's body fell to the ground._

_"__Farewell, Hanbei. I'm sorry, but I doubt I'll remember your name.__" He began walking away, but turned around as his survival instinct kicked up just in time for him to block an attack from Hanbei before slashing in response._

_The sword saint raised an eyebrow at this development. "__Strange. I am sure that was a fatal hit. You should be dead. Why do you still breathe?__" _

_His eyes then widened as he realized the reason. "__I see now. To think those bastards would use our sacred waters against us...although I wonder why I didn't meet any other Infested like you on the battlefield.__"_

_"__Lord Tamura proposed to use them. Even so, everybody else was afraid of the possible side effects. That's why I was the only one to accept the offer and drink the waters, to become Tamura-sama's immortal Blade.__" clarified the Undying._

_"__Then your dedication to your Lord and country is even greater that what I thought.__" Commended Isshin before laughing and preparing to continue. "__I never faced one of your kind before. Let's see to what point your mind can cope with the pain. If you provide enough entertainment, I'll even let you go so that we may face again one day. What do you say?__"_

_Hanbei didn't answer, instead deciding to charge again, letting out a roar of fury while Louise's dream faded into darkness again._

\- end chapter -

So how was it?

Firts of all, thank you for all the positive reviews on the last chapter. I hope you will also like the rest of the series going forward, beginning with the Backstory I came up with for Hanbei. All of this based on the first panel of Sekiro Gaiden, the only thing that I was able to find, when a man that seems to be Hanbei faces Isshin right after he kills Tamura. It is not a retcon of my backstory. He served Tamura and then after some years of not having somewhere to belong he was 'found' by Minato and his daughter.

I also would like to say that I am planning for a flashback sequence/chapter when we explore How Isshin lived and died in Helkiginia, just not right now, so don't you think I just brushed over his death like it was nothing.

And those who think Hanbei's challenge was rushed and out of place. Remember He held a grudge against Siesta's family and wanted to verifie if she was like Isshin, also the first time you meet him in the game he straight up attacks you, at least here he waited for her answer first.

How Siesta's grandfather will effect the story? What is it that Hanbei wants to tell both Siesta and Louise? Will Derf be left alone in the woods all the night? You will have to wait to find out.

Untill next time! Bye!

Thank you very much to my beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


	8. A Proposal

Dialog Types:

"Dialog in Helkigian"

"Dialog in Japanese"

(_Louise's thoughts_ )

(Hambei's thoughts)

_Magic/Dreams_

**"Derf's Dialog"**

\- Chapter 7 : A proposal -

\- Louise's room : late at night -

"Hanbei!" Shouted the pinkette as she woke up from the nightmare about her familiar past.

She frantically looked around until she found a lamp and flicked it on. After the interior of the room was again visible, she quickly noticed the undying was not in his bed.

"Where has he gone now?" she asked herself, annoyed by his absence.

As if to answer her question, a sound of fast steps was heard in the corridor outside before the door was flung open by Hanbei wielding Derflingher.

"Who dares attack my master in her sleep?! Show yourself, fiend!"

The young mage, both because of the sound of the door hitting the wall at full force and the man's loud voice, shrieked with surprise.

"Stop screaming like a mad man! I am alright, nobody is attacking me!"

Taking in his master's words and noting how there wasn't anybody else in the room, the confused soldier demanded, "Then why were you yelling my name like that?"

Louise blushed slightly and admitted, "I-I just had a bad dream and woke up suddenly."

"You, on the other hand," She pointed at him, quickly changing the subject, "Why were you going around at this late hour?"

"Well, I was having difficulty sleeping, so I decided to take a little walk around instead of sitting in bed doing nothing. I actually came across a very peculiar discovery. Perhaps you would like for me to wait and inform you about it in the morning?" Explained the Undying.

"No, if it is really that interesting I would like to hear it now, since I don't feel like going back to sleep immediately."

"As you wish, my lady." Complied Hanbei as he began narrating the events with Siesta.

\- some minutes later -

"That is the gist of it." The soldier concluded, ready to answer any questions or be at the receiving end of an explosion.

Instead, the pinkette had a thoughtful expression as she took all the information in.

Seeing this unusual behavior in the girl Hanbei couldn't help it to ask "Is everything ok lady Louise? You seem strangely calm."

"I am simply processing all of it." She breathed in. "It's you being calm that surprises me. I can imagine you going and involving yourself in a fight without telling me, but the maid you befriended ending up being the grandchild of a noble. Not any noble either...Isshin Ashina himself. I would have expected you to tell me you killed the girl as revenge for what the man did to Tamura."

"Now, even if what happened to General Tamura was Isshin's fault, I can't possibly blame Siesta for-" the Undying stopped in the middle of the sentence to look at the pinkette, "Wait, how do you know about that?!"

She ran her hands through her hair and sighed.

"I guess now is as good a time as any." She looked the man in the eyes as she revealed, "I saw it. Everything that happened on the battlefield that day, and the day you met him. I also saw what happened with the Hoshigaki. From the day I first summoned you, I've seen bits and pieces of your past in my dreams."

His eyes widened in realization "So when you screamed before..."

The pinkette was fidgeting "Y-yes, I was having one of those dreams. I saw your fight with Isshin, even if it was too one-sided to be called as such."

The Undying gave her a solemn, sympathetic look.

"Nobody your age should ever see this atrocities." He bowed to her. "I am sorry, Lady Louise."

"Don't be. It was me who peeked into your past without your consent. I wanted to do some research before telling you, but I didn't find anything about shared dreams between familiar and master."

"**That's just because nobody ever noticed it, pinky.**" Interjected Derflingher.

"What do you mean, sword?" Asked the young mage.

"**First of all, my name is not 'sword.' I'm Derflingher! Got it? D-e-r-f-l-i-n-g-h-e-r!**"

"Please don't start arguing with each other." Pleaded Hanbei before addressing his weapon "And I, too, would like to know what you meant Derf."

"**Okay, but only because you asked nicely, partner.**" He cleared his voice "**Simply put, the Master and Familiar sharing dreams actually happens to every mage. It's just that it's usually very difficult to notice.**"

The two humans looked at the sword with an eyebrow raised.

"**Okay, let me ask you this. Did any one of you ever dream that you were relaxing in a grassy plain under the sun? Or that you were flying or swimming on a pleasant summer day? Everyone could say they had one of those in their lives.**"

"Yes, that is true." Replied the pinkette, still confused.

"**There you have it then. Familiars are usually simple-minded creatures. They don't have many memories that really stand out and they usually don't process them in any complicated way. If a mage summons a wolf and dreams for a couple of nights that he is running in a forest, they will just think it's because they are excited about their new partner.**"

Hanbei scratched his chin, starting to understand Derflingher's argument.

"But with humans, who are more intelligent and complicated beings, things are different. They have many cherished memories that are transmitted to the master."

"**You got it, partner! That means there is nothing strange in what the girl is going through. It will go on for a while, but everything should settle down in due time. All's well that ends well!**"

"Incredible!" Louise stood up in a flash. "This could be one of the greatest discoveries in the history of magic! We should go to the principal's office and tell him this. It would make me one of the most renowned mages in history. I can't wait to beat it in that Germanian's face and..." She stopped in her tracks "Wait a minute. How do you know all of these things?"

"**I have been around for some time, girl. There are a lot of things I don't remember, but of one thing I am certain.**" He paused to add a dramatic effect. "**I have been made to be used by people like a partner, for human familiars.**"

"Really?!" Exclaimed a surprised Hanbei before remembering. "Oh, right! You called me a 'user' before. So you didn't mean just a swordsman, but a familiar."

"**Exactly! Though I am not against fighting with a normal person if I like them enough!**"

"Then this means Hanbei is not the first human familiar!" Interrupted Louise before beginning to ask a series of questions.

"What where the others like? What can you tell me about their masters? What elements did they use? How much time has passed since your last 'user?'"

"**Wow, calm down pinky! Give me some space, would you? I don't remember much about any of the things you asked anyway.**"

"Really? You just drop that without notice and then expect us to just believe you just forgot all the details?" Complained the annoyed young mage.

"**I don't expect anything. You asked and I answered. That's all.**" The sword concluded as Hanbei could mentally picture it shrugging as though it had shoulders.

The pinkette crossed her arms and sighed "I have to say, you are one surprise after another, Derflingher."

Both the sword and the man were surprised she actually used the weapon's proper name.

"Fine, I'll pass over that for now, but you better start to try remembering more! Are we clear?"

"**Aye aye, ma'am!**" Exclaimed Derflingher sarcastically.

Louise nodded with approval before resuming a serious face and addressing her familiar.

"And don't think I forgot about the start of this conversation. I have nothing against that girl. I am just worried that her presence will make unpleasant memories reappear. I saw how mad you were when Isshin killed General Tamura. That is not something you easily forget."

The Undying looked up at the ceiling, thinking deeply about what to say.

"It is true, I harbored only hate for that man and his family in the past. Still, a lot of things happened since then. I have met Lord Minato and Lady Shiro, filling me with happiness once again, before losing them and knowing a different kind of despair. Then I wandered and learned much about the world, meeting so many different people, some of which I came to call friends."

He then lowered his gaze and looked the pinkette in the eyes.

"After all this time, I have accumulated many regrets. At the same time, I also learned not to live in the past. I won't forgive Isshin Ashina, but I also won't condemn Siesta Ashina for actions that are not hers."

Louise smirked at her familiar's determination.

"It seems that, since I summoned you, weird things continue to happen around me. What will be the next thing? Sister Eleonore suddenly showing up, hugging me and telling me I am her favourite sibling? Or maybe Zerbst becoming a nun? I would pay to see that."

She chuckled.

"Fine, I have nothing else to say aside from this: I greatly underestimated you, Hanbei. You don't look the part, but you are quite the honorable knight when you want to be."

The Undying smiled awkwardly at the last part "Thank you for your praise."

The girl yawned "Well, I've had enough revelations for a night. Let's go back to sleep. Tomorrow morning, you'll talk to me and the maid about this 'proposal' of yours and then we will go to the principal's office and tell him what we discovered about the dreams the Master and Familiar share."

"As you wish." Responded Hanbei before the pair laid down on their beds. "Good night, Lady Louise."

"Good night, Hanbei. Don't you dare think about anything violent. I would prefer not to have another nightmare."

The soldier laughed at the last comment, but nonetheless concentrated on pleasant memories before falling asleep.

\- Louise's room: morning -

A knock on the door was heard, to which Louise responded, "Yes, come in."

The door opened to reveal a timid Siesta.

"Hi, I came as Hanbei requested."

"Yes, please sit down, Siesta." The Undying gave her a chair and she sat of Louise, who addressed her first, "Ok, now that we are both here and Hanbei already explained your story, I guess we could skip directly to his proposal. There will be time for you to catch up on the rest."

Derflingher, who was leaning on the wall next to Hanbei's bed, decided to speak up, "**Yeah partner, quit it with all this suspense and just tell them.**"

"Well if you are all so curious..." He cleared his throat, "I would like for Lady Louise to hire Siesta as her personal maid."

There was a minute of silence before the pinkette spoke up, confused.

"That's it? It's not inconceivable, but I don't see the difference with how things are now. You can already see her every day when she works here. The only advantage I can see is that working only for me will probably lessen her workload."

The soldier then clarified, "Well, I said she will be your personal maid, but it doesn't end there."

Now it was Siesta's turn to ask, "What do you mean?"

"You see, the maid job will just act as a cover for anyone who wonders what her real job is."

The girls both looked at him with curiosity.

"My idea is for her to act as a second bodyguard to Lady Louise. She will accompany you, offering protection when I am occupied or not available. We will justify her having a weapon by saying she is just carrying my spare sword."

The young mage raised her hand like a student addressing a teacher.

"Are you saying you don't think yourself enough to protect me?"

"If there anything I've learned in my long life, it is that even if I can't die, I can be incapacitated in many ways." Images of the undying's last master flashed in Louise's mind "Having a talented swordswoman like Siesta as a backup could mean the difference between life and death."

His Master scratched her chin in thought before addressing the maid "There is still something I can't understand. Hanbei told me you had to keep your swordsmanship a secret from your family for all your life because they disapprove of it. Why continue to do that now? You have a talent nobody else has! I can't think of why you or your family should be ashamed of that."

Siesta tapped her index fingers together, a sad expression appearing on her face.

"I always wondered how they really felt. At first, I thought they despised my grandfather and that they would feel the same way about me, but every time they looked at me, every time they thought I was disobeying, their eyes didn't have a hint of hatred in them. That's when I understood it. They were worried about me. They only wished for me to live a safe life, the farthest thing possible from the Ashina's way. I don't know what brought them to hate it so much, but I don't want them to worry about me. At the same time, I also don't want to abandon my grandfather's legacy."

(_Living up to one's family's Legacy, uhm..._) Louise nodded.

"Fine, then I will allow you to keep your secret, even if I still think it shouldn't be such."

Seeing the pinkette finally convinced, Hanbei resumed his explanation.

"Obviously, so far, this seems very beneficial only for us and not so much for Siesta."

The girl in question interrupted him.

"No, you don't need to say anything else. A personal maid for a noble is paid way more that the ones at the school, but I am not too sure I want to risk somebody finding out my secret."

The soldier put his hand on Siesta's head, patting her and making her cheeks flush as red as a tomato.

"Don't think too much of it. Despite what I said earlier, I think of you as more of a backup plan. If everything goes well, you won't have to fight at all! In that case, you'll just be a well paid maid that cannot be fired in the way Guiche attempted."

The man stopped and removed his hand to see the pouting face of the maid, disheartened by the child-like treatment, as he continued.

"And I dueled with you, remember? Even when holding back, I could feel your passion for the sword in every strike. I bet you want to use your talent for something more than cutting wood, perhaps if only on a subconscious level. Consider this a way for me to help a fellow swordsman in need."

The maid was surprised at the man's words. Could she actually be aching to prove herself, despite her insecurities?

"Even so, I think I wouldn't do a very good job protecting her if I can't even hurt her assailant."

Hanbei smiled. (She didn't deny what I said. That's a good start.)

"In the worst case scenario, you showed in our duel that you can stall and tire out your opponent. That could be enough for me to recover and assist or for Lady Louise to run away to a safe place. Anyway, there is also another thing I would like you to do. Test your swordsmanship against me on a daily basis."

The girl gasped loudly at that.

"Why do you keep trying to find ways to fight me?!"

The man couldn't help but chuckle "This time is different. I believe training with a living opponent would surely be a step up from hitting trees in the forest for you. On the other hand, for me, it will be an occasion to face against a capable fighter. And who knows, maybe we could work on getting over your mental block. If we manage to do that, you could probably face even skilled mages."

The swordswoman appeared conflicted "I still am not to sure about it."

"Siesta, the skills you have polished your entire life are meant to hurt people. That doesn't make them bad or evil, since it is your choice as to who to direct them to. Maybe this will help you figure out your path."

The maid looked at the men with thankful eyes as he said "A warm body that can't die might prove useful to you. I volunteer mine."

\- HeadMaster's office : The same day -

"Are you sure of what you say, Miss Vallière?" Asked old Osmond to the pinkette.

"Yes, the dreams are too frequent and detailed to be just that. And the sword, despite all its quirky traits, seems convinced about it." Confirmed Louise.

Professor Colbert, who was also present at the meeting, couldn't contain himself.

"That's brilliant! This discovery would bring the study of Familiar Summoning to another level. Considering Sir Hanbei's case, it is possible to assume other familiars could be from different worlds. What else could be discovered by tapping into their dreams?! So many possibilities!"

At the same time, the Undying began wondering how the bald man seemed to spontaneously materialize when they met up with the headmaster.

(Probably some spell or he can move very silently. But, if it is the latter, then it means he can move as swiftly as a shinobi. A rather scary thought.)

The old mage coughed to snap his friend out of his little world.

"Please, Jean, calm down a little. I am as curious as you are, but we will have all the time in the world to investigate it further."

He then faced the Master-familiar pair.

"Now, I seem to remember you saying there was another matter you wanted to ask me about."

Hanbei looked at Louise, who promptly answered, "Yes, Headmaster. I would like to purchase the contract of one of the maids working here at the Academy. To be more precise, I'm talking about a girl named Siesta."

The old man raised an eyebrow at the name.

"Uhm, I remember the girl. I personally hired her after she responded to a notice we put up to find more help. A really sweet girl. Is there a particular reason you are requesting her?"

The young mage momentarily pondered how to address the situation, but the Undying decided for her, opting for a more direct approach.

"Last night, I found out that the girl's family originated from my world. I would like to have more time to converse with her and find out everything I can about the way they arrived. Not that I am desperate to go back, but simply because I am curious and a little nostalgic."

Colbert, hearing that, couldn't help it but interject.

"Is that true? To think you would find somebody from your world without even looking for it! That is quite the accident."

"**There are no Accidents, baldy!**" Responded Derflingher.

"Wait! Did that sword just talk?" Exclaimed the teacher.

"**You heard it! A pleasure to meet you. The name's Derflingher, the legendary sword!**" Declared the talking weapon.

"Fascinating! I have heard of enhancing blades with some kind of awareness, but this is the first time I encountered full on sentience. Sir Hanbei, could I borrow it to run some tests?" Asked Colbert with a menacing twinkle in his eyes.

"**Hoy-hoy, what's this talk about tests? I am no lab rat, you hear! Tell him, Partner!**" Pleaded Derflingher to his wielder, who chuckled at the sword's desperate tone, while Louise facepalmed at the silliness of the situation.

Seeing this scene, the Headmaster finally spoke up in a joking voice, "It seems to me this was quite an interesting week for you two."

He then passed his hand over his long, grey beard a couple of times.

"I suppose I have nothing against your proposal. I'll have the necessary documents ready in a day or two. For now, I suggest both you and Professor Colbert go, as classes will start soon." He smiled at them.

Agreeing on that, everybody left the room, leaving the Headmaster alone. He got up from his chair and walked up to a window, looking up in the sky, reminiscing about old memories.

"So, you were really from another world after all, old friend." A small chuckle escaped his lips. "It seems your grandaughter has the same inclination for finding herself in interesting situations as you did."

_\- ? -_

_Louise was again enveloped by darkness, wondering what scene would play out this time. She was also taking advantage of the wait to ponder about the events of the previous night. In one day, she found out about another person from the same world as Hanbei and got herself a personal maid/bodyguard. She still needed to sort out the final details of the contract with the school, but everything should be in order in no time._

_She really didn't have much to complain about. Outside of her sword skills, the girl gave her good references when it came to her abilities as a maid, leaving her with nothing to say against this agreement. The young mage could also correlate with the maid's fight to follow her grandfather's Legacy. She, too, wanted to live up her mother's name, Karin the Heavy Wind. Of course, the reason of their struggles were different, but it was something to note._

_At that point, a flash of white changed the scene as the girl waited with trepidation. Unfortunately, or maybe luckily, there were only some scenes of her Familiar guarding his old master's daughter while she played in the estate's garden. It was a very peaceful image that reminded the pinkette of her childhood with her old friend, Henrietta._

\- end chapter -

So, how was it?

First things first, Yes I reuploaded the previous chapter without changing anything, but there is a reason for it.

I don't pretend to see resposes to every chapter, but both the lack of reviews and the fact that someone posted one asking if Isshin was still alive when I specified that he wasn't and I was going to address how and why in a future chapter made me think that maybe there had been an error or you simply didn't see the update. I tend to be paranoid like that sometimes, that's why I reuploaded it.

I am also sorry for taking this long to upload the chapter. I was buisy with work and other stuff. I know I don't have a definite schedule, but I still felt it was a longer wait compared to my previous updates. Anyway I'll say right now my goal is to update at least once a month, more if I can.

Aside from that I don't really have anything else to say. I hope you enjoyed the chapter expecially Louise hiring Siesta, which means that I'll be skipping the count Mott ark. I always thought it to be just a way for Saito to be the hero and save the damsel in distress, but we know now this Siesta is not as fragile as the canon one. She is still gentle and knows she can't oppose nobles like nothing, but I don't think she would let the count just have his way with her.

Finally I will worn you I'll be focusing on my other fanfiction "Hawkeye of Zero" for another couple of chapters. That means it could be a while untill the next chapter, depending if I find time to write it or not. Please be patient and thank you for all your support.

Untill Next Time! Bye!

Thank you very much to my beta _irithyll _for editing the chapter


End file.
